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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28107237">Ashes of our home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/diasthedeathknight/pseuds/diasthedeathknight'>diasthedeathknight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Destiny (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Defending the Tower, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Escaping from the Red Legion, M/M, Past Lives, Red War, Saving someones life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:14:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28107237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/diasthedeathknight/pseuds/diasthedeathknight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This story will follow Drei and Levi through the Red War and the events that followed afterward.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Male Guardian/Male Guardian (Destiny)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Since it is now canon that Saint-14 and Osiris are together, which I am very happy about, I had to come up with a whole other backstory and another person to pair Drei up with.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Drei laughed and leaned back, looking at the cards on the table.</p><p>“Nassiz you must be cheating, there is no way you are able to win three times in a row”, the Warlock calls out the Hunter, who laughs amused and leans back, orange optics flaring brightly up as he replies: “Or you two just suck at this game”</p><p>“Language!”, Sal replies laughing as he watches the Hunter taking up the Glimmer and gently stowing it in his many pockets. Nassiz only grins at him and then leans back in the chair, looking in Drei's direction.</p><p>“So sparkles, anyone catching your interest in the Tower yet?”, he asks and Drei shakes his head before he looks to Nassiz.<br/>“And you? Anyone, you're interested in?”</p><p>“Hmmm...yeah someone but that will only be one night and then my curiosity is satisfied”, the Hunter replies with an amused laugh.</p><p>Both then look over to Sal and Drei leans forward as he asks: “You've asked out Shaxx yet?”<br/>Sal only blushes and then shakes his head, taking a large sip from his drink he had.</p><p>“Okay how long do you plan on dancing around him, Sal?”, Nassiz asks him and Sal clenches his jaw before he growls: “And when are you going to stop sleeping around the Tower?”</p><p>“I don't know when someone comes along who isn't just out to get sex or when I feel special with someone”, they all knew that this was a lie but none of them would call Nassiz out on that as they don't want to pressure him into a relationship.</p><p>“So Drei you never told us about your relationships”, Nassiz said and looks over to the Warlock, who flinches a bit and then answers: “I...don't want to talk about it”</p><p>The orange glow in the eyes seemed to become a bit dim and Nassiz caught the silent plea in the expression very quick. Sal, who knew why Drei was behaving like this, smiled and said: “How about we-”</p><p>He never got to finish that question though, as a large explosion went off and Drei stood up faster than Sal or Nassiz, Sollight burning bright in his eyes.</p><p>“Something isn't right. Grab your weapons”, he said in a tone that didn't let room for any questions.</p><p>The three of them were quickly out of Sal's large ship and into the Hangar.</p><p>“Zavala, what was that?”, Sal asked into the coms and a few moments later he had the answer as he could see a dome-like ball crashing into the Hangar and as it lowered the plating down they could spot three Cabal walking out of it, their guns ready to start shooting.</p><p>“Shit!”, the Titan gathered light in his hands and quickly summoned a shield, that he ducked behind.</p><p>“Nassiz, scout the perimeter!”, Drei shouted to the Hunter, who saluted and then disappeared from their sight.</p><p>Sal took aim at the Cabal and put a few rounds in their heads, watching as they fell dead to the ground.</p><p>“Get the civilians out of the Tower, now!”, he could hear Zavala yell over the coms and Drei looked at Sal, who nodded and both ran out of the Hangar that was empty at that time.</p><p> </p><p>Nassiz landed next to an injured technician and gently placed his hands onto the large wound.</p><p>“Hey there, calm down, I'm here to help”, he softly said and the panicked silver eyes stared at him before the Awoken mumbled: “G-Good...! I...they attacked out of nowhere....!”</p><p>“I understand”, Nassiz says in a soft tone and then gathers up a bit light in his palms.</p><p>“And this will hurt a bit”, he warns the Awoken before the light is fused into the wound, digging into it and the body. He knows that it must feel like teeth are digging into the wound but he'll also know that it will help and heal the wound.</p><p>Shivering he takes his gloved hands back and looks down on the healed up wound.</p><p>“And you're good to go!”, he smiles at the Awoken, who nods and gets up, shaking from the large amount of blood he lost.</p><p>“Shaxx you've got a safe spot set up?”, the Hunter then asks the Crucible Handler over the com and the answer is short: “I'm sending you the location right now. Bring them here and then go through the Hangar to the Plaza, Zavala needs help with the evac shuttles out there”</p><p>“On it!”</p><p> </p><p>They met up at Shaxx's armory where the Titan had rallied up all the injured people. Drei went around and healed some of them, then he looked up as Nassiz came to them with the technician close behind him.</p><p>“Oh good, you're here! You'll go and help Zavala, I will see if I can get my hands on a tank”, the Warlock said after he healed one of the wounds that one of the mechanics had on his stomach.</p><p>“Didn't Zavala had a rule that forbids you from using a Tank or a Drake ever again?”, Nassiz asked and Sal, who stood next to one of the Redjacks with his Autorifle raised, simply stated: “He just told Drei to get a Tank. Nassiz if you could clean us a path through the Cabal that would be very nice. My Workshop is just at the plaza and Drei can have his Tank”</p><p>“Don't you want to stay behind here and help Shaxx out?”, Drei asked and then looked to the large Titan, who shrugged.</p><p>“I'll hold the position here”, he said simply and Sal let out a deep sigh.</p><p>“You know the key to my Workshop, simply unlock it and get yourself one of the Drakes on the left. I modified it extra for you”, he said and then handed Drei some keycards.</p><p>Smiling the Warlock nods and then he looks up to Nassiz.</p><p>“Ready to kill some Cabal?”, he asks the Hunter, who lets out an amused laugh.</p><p>“You know me I'm always ready to kill something”, Nassiz answers him and then both are through Shaxx's armory and on their way to the plaza.</p><p>“So what do they want?”, Sal looks over to Shaxx, who closes the door to his armory behind them.</p><p>“According to Ikora they are attacking the Traveler and the City underneath it”, Shaxx says and Sal nods.</p><p>“How can I help you?”</p><p>“Get those people to the shuttles and have my back”, is the simple reply from Shaxx.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright, we're at the Plaza!”, Drei says to Nassiz, who nods, and they both spot Zavala, defending the doors.</p><p>“Okay, I'll help Zavala and you get your Tank”, Nassiz tells him and runs over to Zavala, who spots the Hunter.</p><p>“Good, you're here. Don't let them through the doors, the evac shuttles are back there!”</p><p>“Understood!”, the Hunter yells back and clenches his hand around his Handcanon harder before he opens fire on the Cabal that is raining down on them.</p><p>“Missiles! Fall back to my shield!”, Zavala yells out and Nassiz looks up to the big ship that's up in the sky and their commandship judged by the size of it.</p><p>He jumps back and shudders as he can feel the large Ward of Dawn building up around them, the impact from the missiles that are fired down onto them shakes the ground and Nassiz can feel the force behind them vibrating through his entire body.</p><p>Those were the moments he cursed that he was an Exo because things like that messed with his vision.</p><p>The door that leads to Sal's workshop exploded and a large Drake shot out of it, he could hear Drei yell something and then a large missile shot out towards the drop-pods that came raining down.</p><p>“They are assaulting the Traveler!”, they could hear Ikora over the coms, and Zavala's response was: “They Traveler waits, we protect our City! That commandship? It is next on my list!”</p><p>After they fought off a few waves of enemies, Nassiz could hear Ikora say: “Zavala, the Speaker never made it to the shuttles”</p><p>“I got the plaza, you go and get Ikora and the Speaker!”, Zavala ordered the Hunter, and Nassiz nods, running towards the north of the Tower on his own.</p><p>As he made his way towards the marked location he nearly stumbled over Ikora, the Warlock Vanguard floated almost gracefully onto the ground in front of him, then she looked at him and said: “The Speaker is gone”</p><p>Her voice sounded...worried but he could also feel the anger that was portrayed in it.</p><p>Then she turned around and looked at a Cabal Trasher, that was closing in on them. Jumping onto the air she stated: “Red Legion, you will take no more from us. And you will find no mercy in me!”</p><p>With that she gathered Void energy in her hand and thrust it forward, blowing up the ship's left engine and clinging to it.</p><p>“Ikora!”, Nassiz stared after the Vanguard of the Warlocks and he could hear Zavala over the coms, telling him to move on and get to the Market where Holliday would pick him up and get him up on that Commandship as they needed to take it down.</p><p>The Hunter simply moved on, knowing that Ikora could handle herself well and that even if she would die her Ghost could resurrect her. Still, it was foolish of her to do something like that.</p><p>He stopped as he stared at the flaming mess that was once the market.</p><p>“Oh you've got to be kidding me”, he growled out as he spotted a heavy plated Cabal with a flamethrower in his hands, reloading his handcanon he raised it up and put a few rounds into their armor, the ammunition of his Thorn tearing through the plates like it was made of paper.</p><p>The market was a burning mess and he didn't like it one bit, dancing through the flames and carefully watching out for any embers that could singe his cloak or even set it on fire, he made it through the once crowded market. He hoped that everyone made it out alive and well.</p><p>His worries were shortlived however, as some Cabal blocked his path to the pickup point. Growling frustrated he unleashed his super at them.</p><p>The Voidbow hummed to life in his hands, the arrow fired pierced through their armor and the weaker enemies died right away. Though one of the guys was a lot tougher and his shield wasn't made of Void energy but the blazing golden heat of solar energy.</p><p>“Oh I got something for you buddy”, Nassiz unsheathed the sidearm that he grabbed out of Shaxx's armory since he was only able to grab his trusted Thorn as a weapon to defend himself.</p><p>A few bullets into the shield were enough to make it flicker and fail, the Cabal gave a surprised yell as the rounds of Thorn pierced his skin and he toppled over as the poison affected him and one final round in the head sealed his fate.</p><p>The bright lights of the ship that suddenly was right in his face, made the Hunter flinch, and then he heard Holliday over the coms: “Someone told me you need a ride!”</p><p>The infiltration of the commandship went very smooth and Nassiz was able to take out the generators for the shields, but something was blocking his coms so he wasn't able to get the message out to anyone.</p><p>As he kept calling out to anyone, going through the list of people, he stumbled basically over the door that leads out onto the deck of the ship.</p><p>And what he saw there, literally froze him to the spot. Staring at the weird contraption that was strapped to the Traveler he muttered: “How...do we come back from this?”</p><p>“You don't”</p><p>The voice was deep in pitch and a heavy growl laid behind it, as Nassiz spun around he spotted a rather heavily armored Cabal in pristine white armor with red ribbons that decorated the back of the large armor.</p><p>He got ready to summon his voidpowers but as soon as he tried to grasp for those powers...they left him.</p><p>Gasping he stumbled over his own feet and fell down to the hard surface of the ship, his Thorn clattering to the ground.</p><p>“G-Guardian...something's wrong...”, he could hear Vrex and then the drone fell right in front of his feet, unresponsive, the blue shimmering core no longer shining.</p><p>Shaking he reached out and grapped onto the shell, pulling it closer to himself and staring at it, then he looked up to the large Cabal that was in front of him, trying to reach for his Handcanon.</p><p>But he was interrupted by a heavy blow from the Cabal, who punched him in the head.</p><p>He could feel his surroundings spinning and he felt like something just broke inside his neck or even back, but he was too weak.</p><p>Was this how...normal people felt...? Damn, he had a whole lot more respect for the workers now.</p><p>He didn't really listen to the words that this Cabal was spewing at him as his mind was still racing with what this meant, as he was trying to process what was happening.</p><p>Groaning he lifted himself up into a sitting position and that was when another kick hit him, he could feel how Vrex was kicked out of his grasp and then the Hunter lost the ground underneath his feet.</p><p>Screaming in terror he plummeted down into the smoldering heap that once was the Last City, wind howling around him as he fell.</p><p> </p><p>“Did anyone hear any news of Nassiz?”, Drei asked as he drove over a Cabal Warbeast that was about to attack a citizen.</p><p>“Not since he went on that Commandship!”, he could hear Sal respond and Drei let out a growl.</p><p>“I swear to god if he's doing this on purpose I will slap him. This is not funny”, the Warlock stated and Sal only responded with a chuckle.</p><p>“And that was the last of the shuttles that got away, now how are we going to-”, Drei gasped for air as he could feel how the light left him, he could hear the metallic clattering as Geist just collapsed down onto the console in front of him that he was using to steer the modified Drake.</p><p>Their coms were out. The light was gone. What...had the Red Legion done...?</p><p>Blinking the Warlock stared into the glowing datapad that gave him a view of the outside, staring in horror as he watched a Guardian being torn to bloody shreds by a small pack of Warbeasts.</p><p>The fear rose up in him and bile gathered at the back of his throat as he clenched his fingers harder around the controls of the Tank. The communicator in his ear suddenly buzzed and he heard someone yell: “Someone come in! Come in! I am cut off from everyone and the Cabal are-!”</p><p>A pained scream cut off the words and Drei shivered as he heard the sound of metal cleaving through clothes and flesh, his breath stopped in his chest and his heart seemed like it was skipping a few beats, then it began to start a fast hard gallop inside his chest like a panicked animal.</p><p>The Warlock grits his teeth and then looks around the Drake with the monitors, he starts to shoot a missile at the advancing Warbeasts, killing several of them with the first blast, then the other Arc infused missiles blow up the rest of them, leaving nothing but ash from them.</p><p>“Everyone who can hear this, fall back!”, he then yells into his communicator that he still had built into his helmet, glad that Sal always was building them into their helmets.</p><p>His Tank suddenly shuddered with the impact of someone landing onto it and he stared at the feed from outside, then he made out the shadow of a Titan as something exploded behind them.</p><p>“Get us out of here, now!”, the Titan roared and his voice was muffled from the plating of the Drake, but the Warlock could hear it nonetheless. And he was also relieved when he recognized the voice as Duke's, Sal's mentor.</p><p>The engines of the Drake roared in protest as he maneuvered it backward, crushing a dead Cabals arm underneath it as he turned around and made his way to the entrance of the City, leaving it behind himself and Duke.</p><p>The Titan clutched to the Drake with his shaking arms, not even bothering to look behind themself as he heard the roaring sound of several Cabal ships taking after them.</p><p>“There are on our tail!”, he yelled and the answer came in a barrage of missiles that shook the tank underneath him and he flinched as each and every one of them impacted with their target, the ships exploded in plumes of fire and smoke, now crashing down into the ruins of the Last City.</p><p>Duke couldn't even stop to think, as he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. A single Titan knelt on the ground and their armor was torn and he was bleeding out of a heavy wound at their side, clutching it with one hand.</p><p>“Drei wounded Guardian on two o'clock!”, he screamed, now cursing himself for not having a communicator with him. The Tank halted and he could see the barrel aiming towards the injured Titan, then the hatch opened and orange eyes stared at him.</p><p>“Get him in here, I'll take care of him and you drive this!”, the Warlock orders him and Duke only nods, jumping off the Tank and making his way over to the kneeling Titan, his entire body screaming and crying in pain. He felt so weak, compared to how he had felt just a few moments ago.</p><p>His boots nearly sank into the ground below him as he made his way towards the Titan and he heard the rumbling of the engine as Drei followed him with the Tank, barrel swinging from left to right so he could fire it at anyone who would dare to come after them.</p><p>Duke falls down onto his knees next to the Titan, letting out a shaky breath.</p><p>“Hey...want a ride...?”, he asks in a joking manner and the other Titan flinches, staring up at him with wide silver eyes, then he simply nods and stumbled up to their feet, their Ghost clutched in the other hand.</p><p>His helmet is nowhere to be seen and from the wounds on his face, he might've lost it when the Cabal had somehow captured the Traveler.</p><p>Duke helps him back to the Drake and he can hear the soft hissing sound as Drei opens the Hatch, letting the two of them inside.</p><p>“Duke, drive us away from here!”, the Warlock says and Duke nods, pointing to the Titan.</p><p>“Take care of him, I'll get us out of here”, he says and Drei nods, stepping towards the Titan and then he points to the back of the Tank.</p><p>“Lay down, I'll take care of your wounds”, he tells him over the rumbling vibrations of the engine as Duke turns the Drake and begins to drive it outside of the City.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The wounds of the Titan are a bit more serious as Drei looks at them and from what he can make out the helmet, that was once on the head of the Titan, was blown into pieces, which would explain the deep cut wounds that he had in his head and cheek.</p><p>Certainly no sweet sight, but he could work with this. He had patched up Civilians before and it just came naturally to him at this point. Also to their luck inside the Drake was a first Aid Kit and Drei had to use up all of the bandages inside to take care of the wounds that the Titan had, their chestplate was useless for now and so Drei had simply given him his robes, exposing the heavy armorplates that he wore underneath them, who were usually hidden by the fabric.</p><p>“Take this so your not freezing”, he says and then he looks over his shoulder as he can hear Duke curse.</p><p>“What's the matter?”, he asks and Duke lets out a low huff.</p><p>“The Road is caved in, we'll never make it out of here with the Drake”, the Titan tells him and Drei lets out a sigh, then he gently pats the Titan on their shoulder.</p><p>“Let me search for an alternative way. I still have ammo for my guns”, he says to Duke, who looks to the Warlock and shakes his head.</p><p>“And what if the Cabal get you? You no longer have your light”</p><p>“I got out of tougher situations before and something tells me that they won't come near me, when they don't even see me”, the Warlock smiles at Duke, who lets out a deep sigh and then embraces him in a tight hug, before he lets him go.</p><p>“Okay...if you see anything, please contact us”</p><p>“Will do”, the Warlock smiles and then he grabs his helmet and sets it on, the display inside flaring to life, he has roughly three clips for his Autorifle left and two more shots in his sniperrifle, plus a full magazine inside his Grenade Launcher.</p><p>He squeezes himself past Duke and out through the Hatch, looking around the territory they are currently in. A few patches of snow have fallen here and there and he can spot a few bloody footprints in the snow.</p><p>“I'll be right back”, he tells the two Titans and then he leaves the Drake, jumping onto the frozen ground and shivering as the cold seeps into his skin now that he hasn't his robes anymore.</p><p>The footprints might be something worth investigating, but they were out of bandages, and at that point, they'd have to tear the small number of clothes they didn't use up into makeshift bandages. And that didn't sit right with Drei at all.</p><p>The Warlock let out a deep breath and focused himself, already missing the second heartbeat of his light inside him, now there was only a deep aching hole and it left him weak and exposed like he was wearing only paper as armor.</p><p>He saw the large caved in road in front of them, it was probably hit by a stray missile, which had caused the collapse of the section. If they were careful with the Drake, they would make it across the large hole, but they could also get stuck in it, and then they were sitting ducks.</p><p>Drei flinched as he heard a soft buzzing noise and then he let out a laughter of relief, as he heard a familiar voice speak to him.</p><p>“Drei? Is that you?!”</p><p>“Keith!”</p><p>Something moved to their left and he soon spotted the Hunter, clutching his side as he slowly rose to his feet. His mask was in a prestigious condition and he had the suspicion that he was on patrol duty before the Red Legion had sprung their attack on them.</p><p>The Hunter came towards them and then pointed to the road.</p><p>“Sorry about that, I told Zavala multiple times to fix this, but he didn't listen. There is a makeshift path through the mountains, but I doubt you'll be able to bring a whole Drake with you over that. If I still had my ship I would be able to help you guys out”, Keith told him and Drei nodded.</p><p>“Duke will be relieved to hear you're still alive”, the Warlock says and Keith nods, then he holds his side again, drawing in a high-pitched noise of pain.</p><p>“You okay?”, Drei asks him concerned and Keith shakes his head.</p><p>“N-No...one of those...Gladiators got me...he nearly sliced me open if I wouldn't have rolled out of the way. Think the blade...tuck some wiring out of place though”, the Hunter answers him through gritted teeth, and the Awoken nods.</p><p>“Want me to get you back to the Drake so you can talk with Duke about the possibilities we have?”, he then asks him and Keith nods, drawing another shaking inhale.</p><p>“I...had a Guardian with me but...they've died from bloodloss...if it would be possible can we...once this all is over I would....like to burry them. They were....one of Cayde's scouts...”</p><p>“Yes we can do that”, Drei said with a soft voice and then gently wrapped an arm around Keith, helping him stand as they both made their way back over to the Drake.</p><p>The hatch opened and Duke stared with wide silver glowing eyes at Keith, then the Titan sprang out of the vehicle and ran over to them, grabbing Keith from Drei's hold and holding his best friend in a close embrace.</p><p>“I was never so damn happy to see your ugly mug again!”, Keith joked and Duke laughed dry, then he looked over the Exo.</p><p>“You good?”, he asks him and Keith points to his torn open side.</p><p>“Gladiator got me with their damn blades. Nothing vital was hit but I think they pulled a few cables”</p><p>“I can take a look at that once we're inside the Drake”</p><p>“Won't it get a bit clustered in there?”, Keith asks him and looks at the Drake.</p><p>“We can manage”, Drei answers and then climbs back into the Tank, looking at the Titan, that was now sitting in one of the chairs, going through the ammunition they had left.</p><p>“Everything okay so far?”, he asks him and the Titan jolts surprised, staring up at him with silver eyes.</p><p>“I...uhm...y-yeah...! Thank you for the robes but...do you want them back?”, he points to the piece of clothing that was wrapped around his shoulders, the fabric straining against them as he had much broader shoulders than Drei.</p><p>“Keep them”, Drei said and then gently sat down on the floor in front of the Titan.</p><p>“We found one more survivor”, he informs him and the man nods.</p><p>“A way past that roadblock too?”</p><p>“According to Keith, we won't be able to make it without Drake over the mountains. Passages are too small for it to pass through”</p><p>“So we have to leave it behind?”</p><p>“We'll find another way”, Drei says and the Titan nods.</p><p>“What...is your name?”</p><p>“Drei...Drei Cerasqué”, he smiles warmly at the Titan, or tries his best at a warm smile, given their current situation and the man blushes a bit, then he mutters: “Levi...”, as an answer, which is probably his name.</p><p>“We've never met before, have we?”, Drei asks and Levi shakes his head.</p><p>“I've seen you and Sal around the Tower a couple of times but never spoke to you”, the Titan answers him and Drei nods, looking down on his shaking hands, the once golden bones of his Claws of Ahamkara were now covered in mud and several of the steelfeathers were broken or missing, but he still clung to them as they were a gift from his mentor.</p><p>Genasi wasn't typically one to make gifts and so he'd kept them close to his heart ever since the Warlock had given them to him.</p><p>“Nice gauntlets...”, Levi suddenly complimented him and Drei let out a dry laugh.</p><p>“They...my mentor gifted them to me after I passed his little trial...I don't even know if he is still alive...”, he answers him and Levi nods understanding, then he suddenly climbs down from where he is sitting, now sitting right next to Drei, who only now notices that he is shaking.</p><p>“I can...offer you some warmth if you want...”</p><p>Without thinking about it, Drei cuddles into the warm side of the Titan, the shivering of his body calms down a bit, but he still feels cold.</p><p>“There are no...blankets here?”</p><p>“No...”, Drei answers and Levi nods, then he cuddles deeper into Drei's side, trying to warm up the colder body of the Awoken.</p><p>“Alright, Duke and I have come to a course of action. Since we can't take the Tank over the mountain, we'll simply drive around it and see if the old passage that used to be there is still useable. We'll drive through that and then make our way towards one of the gathering points that Lucus has set up. With luck, he'll be there and have a ship to get this beauty and us into safety. It'll be quite a long trip though”</p><p>“How long...?”, Drei asks and Keith, who is now sitting down behind Duke, looks to the Titan.</p><p>“That depends how good Duke can steer this thing. Minimum two days. Maximum...? I have no idea”</p><p>The Titan lets out a snarl and closes the Hatch behind him.</p><p>“Alright then, where do we go now?”, Duke asks Keith, who points to the left side of the road.</p><p>“Keep left and then follow the small road there, that should lead you towards the passage through the mountains. Let's...hope that the Red Legion didn't spot Lucus”</p><p>“He's tough, he'll make it”, Duke says and Keith nods, then he looks to Duke.</p><p>“You've...heard from Genasi yet?”</p><p>“He...is dead...sacrificed himself so I could get away...then I stumbled over Drei and his tank”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The silence that followed was laying like a heavy blanket over all of them and Drei stared at the back of Duke’s head, feeling tears gather in his eyes.</p><p>“G-Genasi…is…h-how did he…?”</p><p>“Warbeasts…he…he wanted to summon a Well, but the moment he had his Dawnblade in his hands, the Cabal did something to the Traveler, and…his sword just flickered out of existence. Then…we both fell to the ground and the Warbeasts were on top of us…he shoved me aside and threw himself into the pack…screaming at me to get out of here as fast as I could…”, Duke answered the Warlock, his voice hollow and stripped of all the usual happiness that it had.</p><p>“I…I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to-“</p><p>“And what would you have done then? Throwing yourself into the pack of Warbeasts with him?”, Duke snarls and then shakes his head.</p><p>“No…it is okay he…he came to terms that he would die and…so have I…it stings, yes, but…he now watches over us. So…don’t drag his sacrifice through the mud. He did it so I could live”, the Titan looks at Drei and then back towards the displays in front of him.</p><p>The Drake roared as he turned the massive machine and then began to follow the road that Keith had pointed out to them.</p><p>Shivering Drei cuddles against Levi, who then carefully wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer towards himself.</p><p>“If you want to cry…do it…nothing is more unhealthy than keeping emotions in”, the Titan gently mutters to him and Drei nods, his vision already clouded by tears, then he lets out a sob and hides his face in his gloves, the cold surfaces of the Ahamkara bones pressing against his forehead as he just let’s all those feelings out.</p><p>Genasi was like a father for him and he always had something to say for Drei or gave him advice, it was because of him that he was such a good medic and also part of his sniperskills came from the regular training, that he had done with Genasi, always listening to the advice that the Warlock gave him.</p><p>To know that the Warlock had sacrificed himself for his husband so that Duke could escape…it filled him with dread and sorrow, but he also knew that Genasi always was like that, he would always throw himself in front of people to protect them.</p><p>Something clattered into Drei’s lap and he looked through his hands, staring at the Ghost that was in his lap, eyes wide as he stared at the unmoving shell of Royal, Genasi’s Ghost.</p><p>“Managed to snag that from the ground…”, he heard Duke and Drei let out a sob, clutching the Ghost to his chest.</p><p>Someone pulled him into a hug and Drei sobbed again, tears streaming down his face as he clutched the Ghost of his mentor to his chest. The scent of citrus and chocolate hit him and he cuddled deeper into Levi, who began to gently pat his back, whispering soft words to him that he couldn’t hear because his own thoughts were too loud in his skull.</p><p>“Hold on to your seatbelts, we have Warbeasts incoming!”, Duke then yelled out and Drei snapped out of his weeping, staring in the beautiful silver eyes of Levi, who smiled at him and then he sat on the lap of the Titan, blushing as he was pressed against the muscular torso of Levi. One arm was around his waist and the other was holding onto one of the iron bars next to him.</p><p>“Levi, your injuries…!”, Drei said and the Titan let out a growl.</p><p>“Fuck ‘em. You can stitch me up later after we’ve dealt with the Warbeasts!”, he said and Drei could feel the heat on his cheeks intensify, as Levi pressed him tighter against his body.</p><p>“Road bump!”, Duke warned and then Drei heard the loud pained howl that was soon ending in a gurgling noise as the Drake drove over one of the Warbeasts, crushing it underneath the heavily modified crawler chain, the Drake shook as something threw itself against it and Drei jolted a bit as he heard the snarling and growling of the Warbeast right where he and Levi were sitting, the snarling ended in a painful howl and as Drei was looking up, he could see that the seat in front of him where Keith was sitting, was empty.</p><p>“Keith, hold on and don’t risk your own life!”, Duke yelled out and the Hunter, who had climbed out of the Drake yelled back: “I’m not dumb! But someone has to keep them from biting through the sensitive tubes down here!”</p><p>“Alright, you fuckers…you want a piece of me? Come and get it”, Duke snarled and the engines howled as the speed of the Drake increased. Pride rose up in Drei’s chest at the work of Sal and how that would now save their lives.</p><p>“Missiles are also still in the Drake if you need some”, Drei informs Duke, who laughs and tells him: “Kiddo I am not going to cause more noise than I need to. Keith, Beasthandler incoming!”</p><p>“Got him!”, the loud shot of a sniperrifle was heard, followed by the howl of a dying Cabal.</p><p>Drei heard how Keith then climbed back into the driving Drake and shut the hatch behind him.</p><p>“Five more Warbeasts ahead, grind them into Dust”, he informed Duke, who nods and drives straight for the Warbeasts, the inside of the Drake shaking each time he drives over each of them, crushing them underneath the massive weight of the armored vehicle.</p><p>“Whoever build this Drake I am going to kiss him!”, Keith stated and Drei let out a low chuckle.</p><p>“That would be Savalthus”</p><p>“If that bastard is still alive I am going to kiss him! Mark my words!”, Keith said, which caused Levi to chuckle.</p><p>The Titan then hissed in pain and Drei stared at him.</p><p>“Lay down and let me look at that wound”, he growled and Levi smiles at him, gently petting his head.</p><p>“It didn’t reopen, just hurting”, the Titan says and the Awoken gives him a stern look.</p><p>“Next break we’re doing I am looking at that wound of yours”, Drei says and it sounds more like a threat than a promise.</p><p>“Duke, never stop driving!”, Levi jokes and Duke snorts.</p><p>“Kid, if I were you, I would listen to the Warlock, he’s really smart and your best hope at making it through without suffering more damage or bleeding out. We’re making a small pause in the evening. Keith, you got any food on you?”</p><p>“Yeah, a few small rations of dried meat, but that was it”, the Hunter answers and Duke nods.</p><p>“We’ll have to make it to that gathering point as fast as possible. Give some of that to the kid, his body needs it to help to heal that wound”, the Titan instructs Keith.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Growling Drei held onto the Tank with his golden claws, the bone scraping against the heavy metal plates as Duke took a sharp turn left, behind them the howling sounds of several groups of Warbeasts. They were out of ammunition so they could only do one thing: book it.</p><p>“You okay out there?!”, Keith yells and Drei only replies with a pissed growl.</p><p>“My clothes are soaked in Warbeast blood and you ask me if I am okay?!”, he yells back and then howls furiously as he spots a Warbeast climbing onto the Drake, golden claws glow with a soft flicker of his own personal light, as he breaks through the chest of the beast and simply crushes the heart in his hand before he kicks off the limp body of the beast.</p><p>“Well I just want to see if you are okay!”, Keith yells back from inside the Drake and Drei can imagine how he's clinging to Duke, who's driving the Drake like hell itself is on his heels.</p><p>The hatch opens and Drei stares at Levi, who comes crawling out of the hatch.</p><p>“Are you crazy?! You should rest, damn it!”, he yells at the Titan, who only smiles at him, the Warlock-Robes around his shoulders making him look like a crazy powerful Warlock and if the situation wouldn't be so dire, Drei would've told him that the Robes suit him.</p><p>Silver eyes are narrowed down and Levi growls: “I can't let the sacrifice of my men be for nothing”</p><p>“Your...men...?” Drei blinks surprised at the words and dodged the jaws of a Warbeast, who then is punched off the Drake by Levi.</p><p>“Yes. I am the Commander of my own little Division. They would've loved driving this Drake, you really have to tell Sal that he is always welcome to make some of those for the survivors of my Division”</p><p>“I'll let him know...if he is still alive...”, Drei mutters, shivering at the thoughts of one of his best friends being dead.</p><p>“From what Duke told me, he is stubborn. He'll make it”, Levi says warm and then suddenly pulls the smaller Warlock closer to himself, kicking something away from Drei.</p><p>The Awoken blushes as he hears the pained yelp of a Warbeast. He really didn't hear that one coming.</p><p>“Eyes on the Road”, Levis then mutters and gently lets go of Drei.</p><p>“There is the gathering point!”, Keith suddenly yells out from inside the Drake, the Hatch still left open by Levi.</p><p>“Good, anyone can see anything?!”, Duke yells out and then starts to slow down the Drake so he isn't driving over anyone who might be standing at the gathering point.</p><p>Drei then is suddenly thrown off the Drake as Duke slams down hard on the breaks, landing in the dirt as he groans, blinking at the crawler chain that was only inches from his face. He then gets up and tries his best to dust off his clothes, but gives up soon as the Dust just clings to his blood-drenched clothes.</p><p>“Well you guys sure know how to make an entrance”, Drei turns around and stares at the white-golden armored Titan who stands a few feet away from him, hands on the hips as the Exo looks at him with a bit of an amused glance.</p><p>“LUCUS!”, Keith jumps out of the Drake and nearly falls as he scrambles over to his husband, hugging him.</p><p>Lucus is without any emotion, but he hugs Keith tight to his chest, body shivering slightly. Drei can see the flicker of the purple mouthlight, smiling tiredly as he takes a few moments to get his breath back.</p><p>“You okay?”, Levi's voice is soft and Drei jolts a bit as the Titan walks up behind him, a warm smile on his face.</p><p>“Y-Yeah....didn't break anything with that fall, just took a face full of dirt”, he then replies and Levi chuckles softly before he nods and gently pats Drei's shoulder.</p><p>“Good. I owe you for saving my life so...don't die, yes?”</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shivering Drei scoots a bit closer to the crackling fireplace, staring into the orange flames, a pang of sorrow shoots through his heart as he is remembered yet again, that he might not be able to wield the Light ever again. And without his Light...was he even a Warlock?</p><p>A soft sound startled him and he stared at Geist, who floated next to him, staring into the flames.</p><p>“I know how you feel...”, the machine mutters and Drei looks at him, remembering how enthusiastic he was when his Ghost woke up a few hours ago.</p><p>“But...as Duke said, we can't afford to sulk or grief right now. We...need to concentrate on getting the people back to this place safely and without harm. It is what Genasi would've wanted...”</p><p>“I know...”, Drei's voice cracks at the end and he lets out a sigh, too spent to really cry.</p><p>A cold breeze hits his back and shivering he pulls the patched robes he's been given, tighter around his own body to at least preserve some of the heat of his own body.</p><p>One of the logs cracks and sends embers up into the sky, he watched them dance, bright yellow and orange against the dark sky of the night that was coming down on them like a blanket, wrapping around every shape and shade until it was just a gray figure in the dark. Easy to mistake enemy for friend and friend for enemy out there.</p><p>“I'll never...be able to wield the light again...”, he mutters and Geist spins his damaged shell.</p><p>“You kidding me? We only need to go back into the City and take it back from the Cabal!”, his Ghost protests and Drei chuckles low.</p><p>“Well, I only have one life left...if some Cabal hits me or a pack of Warbeasts sneaks up on me? That was it. No second chances. So...many Guardians have died to protect the Last City...and so much more will die on the assault and out here in the wild. Most don't know how to survive out here anyway”</p><p>“Which is why I'm having Hawthorne sent out scouts to look around the area”, Levi's voice is like a soothing warm blanket and then the Titan sits down next to him, smiling at him with a soft expression on his face.</p><p>“She told me that I'll find you out here. I have good news for you. Some Ghosts have spotted a shard of the Traveler and you weren't the only one who had that vision. The first night after the attack on the City when we slept in the Drake? Yeah...Sal and Nassiz had that vision too”</p><p>“Sal and...Nassiz...?”</p><p>“Nassiz arrived today and...caused quite the ruckus with his arrival. And Sal arrived this morning with Lord Shaxx and some civilians. Shaxx had to...knock him out because even after they lost their light, Sal didn't want to fall back”, Levi tells him and Drei stares at him, then he whispers: “Were...?”</p><p>“In the farm, Sal just woke up and Nassiz is with him, I think Shaxx said that he placed Sal in the house that's left off the barn?”</p><p>Levi smiled as he sees Drei jump up from the fireplace and taking off to the house that he had mentioned.</p><p>The Awoken's thoughts were racing in his head and he nearly stumbled over his own feet as he made his way inside the house that Levi had told him about.</p><p>“SAL?!! NASSIZ?!?!”, he screamed as he ran through the dozens of sleeping bags on the floor, looking around and searching for blond hair or the black single horn of Nassiz.</p><p>“SPARKLES!”, his own heart started to thunder in his chest and he threw himself at Nassiz, who had popped up between two sleeping bags.</p><p>Tears began to stream over his face and he embraced Nassiz in a tight hug, sobbing in relief at feeling the familiar body of his friend against him. Nassiz clung to him tightly and laughter was shaking through the body of the Hunter.</p><p>“Fucking knew it...they wouldn't be able to kill you...! Not you...!”, Nassiz mumbles and clings to Drei like he's the only thing keeping him from drowning.</p><p>Then both of them are embraced in a tight hug and he feels the familiar strong body of Sal, pressing against his and Nassiz's side.</p><p>“Thank the Traveler you are alive....”, Sal whispers, voice hoarse, his entire body shaking and Drei blinks as he hears Sal sobbing for the first time that they knew each other.</p><p>He smiles and then wraps one of his arms around Sal, pulling him into himself.</p><p>“Couldn't leave my friends alone now, could I?”, he says with a warm voice.</p><p>“INCOMING!”</p><p>Duke's voice causes them all to flinch and then laugh, as the Titan crashes into all three of them sending them tumbling to the floor in a mass of tangled limbs and bodies, Duke laying on top of them.</p><p>“I fucking knew that Drei wasn't the only one to escape!”, Duke says in a cheerful voice and then looks down on all three of them, grinning.</p><p>“Nassiz, if someone told me that you would make friends with a damn Hive Wizard and have them support us, I would've laughed at you and called you crazy. But now? Fuck man, come here!”, Duke says and Nassiz starts shrieking and laughing as he tries to dodge the kiss that the Titan tries to press onto his forehead.</p><p>“Duke! Urgh! Please no...! You stink!”, Nassiz screeches and tries to push Duke away, who starts to giggle uncontrollably but still tries to plant a kiss onto Nassiz's forehead.</p><p>For the first time since the City fell and the Light left them all, Drei felt happy.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So...it's true?”, Levi's voice snaps Drei out of his meditation and the Warlock blinks, before he stares at Levi, who stands next to him, his armor looks like it was kit-bashed together out of different sets and pieces, but it doesn't look bad on the Titan, who now kneels down next to Drei and looks at him with a faint smile.</p><p>“You...have your light back? All three of you?”</p><p>Drei nods and then looks down at his hands, the familiar second pulse of light is there and his body shivers again as sparks of solar light come off his fingers, making Levi smile.</p><p>“Yes...”, the Warlock says and Levi smiles even brighter, causing Drei to blush heavily.</p><p>“That is good...very good...now you don't need to use me as a heater anymore. Although...I'm going to miss our nightly cuddle sessions”, the smile now warps into a grin as Drei looks away from him, trying to hide the red color that creeps up on his cheeks.</p><p>“We...can still cuddle...”, he mutters and Levi tilts his head.</p><p>“Despite you going to Titan tomorrow?”, he asks and Drei blinks surprised at the tone of voice, looking back to Levi, who was now his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking at him like he's being sentenced to death for a crime he committed that only Levi knew about.</p><p>“Who...?”</p><p>“Sal was so friendly and told me after you three came back from the Shard this morning and were buzzing with light. Nassiz said that we all might be able to restore our light that way, but...without the Vanguard there is no one to ask for guidance so...yeah...currently only you three have your light”, the Titan then stares into the dancing flames and goes silent, his expression is unreadable and Drei blinks, then he lets out a sigh.</p><p>“Why are you angry at me?”, he asks finally, being unable to contain the question inside him anymore. Levi was angry with him the moment that he spent more time with his fireteam and especially against Nassiz there seemed to be somewhat that the Titan had against the Hunter.</p><p>“Oh, you would die to know that, hm?”, Levi growls and Drei raises an eyebrow, at the sudden change of tone in the voice of the Titan, then he crosses his hands in front of his chest, standing up and staring at Levi.</p><p>“Is that the thank that I saved your life? Just because I spent some more time with my family, you suddenly get all sulky and...hate me for something that you refuse to tell me what it is? I might be a Warlock, yes, but I can't read thoughts so for once swallow down that stupid pride of yours and start talking!”, he hisses at Levi, who suddenly snarls, and then the Warlock finds himself pinned to the ground, Levi covering over him, dwarfing him with his sheer size and muscles as the human stared at him with silver eyes glinting in anger.</p><p>“I hate being dropped like a hot potato, just because your old family is back! I thought we had something here!”, Levi yells at him and Drei blinks, staring confused up at Levi.</p><p>“They...They are my fireteam, my...friends. And Duke is somewhat of my father since Osiris and-”, the Warlock pauses, and then it hits him.</p><p>“You...You are jealous!”</p><p>Now it's Levi's turn to blush and the Titan takes a deep breath before he nods.</p><p>“Yes. Every time that Hunter...Nassiz... every time he calls you Sparkles and flirts with you I just...I get so jealous that I want to rip out his eyes and voicebox so he can never do that ever again! I envy Sal that he is in your fireteam and I envy Nassiz that he's able to flirt with you casually like that. I envy them for every moment they are able to spend with you”, it all breaks out of Levi and Drei blushes, even more, then he gently reaches up to Levi, the golden bones of his gauntlets glitter in the light of the flickering fire that is to their left as he gently places his left hand onto Levi's cheek and brushes over the skin with his thumb.</p><p>“They are my friends...my family. I would even go so far and call Nassiz my brother. Yes, he flirts with me, but he does so with everyone around him if you pay attention to him. There...is no need to be jealous, Levi”, he says in a gentle voice and Levi shivers before he lets out a sigh of frustration.</p><p>“You don't fucking get it, I-!”</p><p>Drei pulls the larger Titan down and then captures his lips in a heated kiss, causing Levi's body to tense up, and just as he asks himself if he did read too much into Levi's words and behavior over the past couple of days, the arms of the larger man wrap around him and the kiss is returned with something that Drei can only describe as hunger. Hunger for warmth and love, hunger for physical affection, hunger for strength.</p><p>Levi tastes like a mixture of almond and citrus with a sweet undertone, and Drei could lose himself in the taste if there wasn't the need for air, rising up in his chest.</p><p>Gasping they both break apart, glancing at each other for a split second, only to kiss each other again, lips dancing around each other and hands trying to grasp more of the other like they are both drowning and searching for something stable to hold on to.</p><p>A low growl breaks out of Levi's chest and Drei gasps surprised into the kiss, as he feels big hands slip underneath his robes, sliding over the skin.</p><p>“L-Levi...!”, he whispers, the protest caught in his throat, as the Titan hits a rather sensitive spot on his ribcage, causing him to moan soft, embarrassed he covers his mouth with his left hand, and then he looks up to Levi, who grins down at him with a devious smirk, pupils were blown wide and a hungry expression inside the small silver rings.</p><p>“Let me hear your voice...”, the Titan then whispers and Drei shivers as Levi uses raw force to push aside the hand on his face, looking down on him.</p><p>“M-Maybe not...?”</p><p>“This place is a bit further outside, don't worry. As long as your not screaming I'm sure no one will come and check on us...”, Levis disrupts his protest again and Drei shivers, then another concern hits him.</p><p>“And your wound?”</p><p>“Lucus patched it up and Belle healed it”, Levi explains and Drei blushes, trying to keep down the loud moan as the larger Titan grinds his groin against his own.</p><p>“W-What if someone comes and...checks on us...? I'm supposed to stand watch here not...”</p><p>“I told them that I would cover the next shift, don't worry”, Levi's smirk grows more, and then he looks down at Drei with a tilted head.</p><p>“Or do you want to wait?”, his voice dips down a few octaves into a low growl and causes Drei to shiver as warmth travels through his body and collects between his legs.</p><p>“N-No...!”, no one knew exactly what would welcome them on Titan and even if his fireteam had their light back, that didn't mean they would automatically win this war.</p><p>“Good...then just relax and...let me take care of you, yes?”, a soft kiss was planted onto Drei's cheek and the Awoken blushes even more, then he nods and looks at Levi, who grins and then lays a blanket down on their right, gently nudging Drei towards it and further away from the fire. The cold crept into his bones and the Warlock clung to Levi for warmth, then his body started to glow with his solar light and the Sunsinger let out a surprised squeak as Levi bit down gently on his exposed neck.</p><p>“We don't want the others to see us, so...no light powers for now”, Levi growls and Drei blushes, before he nods and the soft solar glow fades away, his body still radiating warmth outwards.</p><p>“Good...and now...let me take care of you~”, Levi almost purrs the words, causing Drei to look embarrassed to their left, trying to distract himself by watching the flickering flames.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The next morning comes too fast and Drei almost doesn't want to move from his spot, Levi curled around his backside, one arm wrapped possessively around his waist, his back pressed tight against Levi's chest. The muscles of his back ached in a way that was foreign to him, but if he would be asked if he regretted it, then no. He would repeat the last evening and the night again and again. Something moves in front of them and Drei blinks then, he stares into orange glowing optics and Nassiz kneels in front of him, a big grin plastered to the face of the Exo, the orange eyes glowing brightly as he looks at both Drei and Levi with a knowing expression.</p><p>“So...can you move?”, he asks him and Drei looks down to the arm that is still wrapped around his waist.</p><p>“Let's find out...”, he whispers back to not wake Levi up, trying to squirm out of the grip of the Titan, hissing low as the fingers dig in deeper into his skin and pull him tighter against the large body behind him, a sleepy growl vibrating against Drei's back.</p><p>“Don't you dare think you can sneak off without saying goodbye...”, Levi mutters and Drei turns around, blinks at the silver eyes that stare at him.</p><p>“Sorry for waking you up...”, he whispers gently and Levi huffs, cuddling once again into Drei's backside.</p><p>“Bell woke me up when you were awake, so don't apologize”, the Titan tells him and Drei nods before he lets out a sigh and looks back to Nassiz, who has an even bigger grin on his face. How did the Exo even manage to grin like that?</p><p>“It seems you two need some more time alone. Sal and I are waiting outside”, Nassiz says to Drei and then stands up, walking out of the building that serves as a sleeping place for the militia and the Guardians that had arrived at the farm.</p><p>“How do you feel?”, Levi mutters in Drei's ear, his fingers no longer gripping him with bruising strength.</p><p>“My lower back hurts but...apart from that...I feel good”</p><p>“Good...at the end you had me worried that I broke something in you”, Drei blushes as the memory flashes back into his mind and he shivers against Levi's body.</p><p>“That...uhm...no...you didn't break anything. I...once I'm back from Titan I'm going to explain it to you, promised”, Drei tells Levi and the Titan hums, before he sits up and looks down to Drei.</p><p>“I'm gonna miss you...”, fingers gently trace over Drei's face and the Warlock can feel tears gather in his eyes.</p><p>“Same...”, he says and Levi smirks, then he lowers his head down and Drei gasps surprised, as teeth scrape against his neck as Levi starts to suck on the sensitive skin, leaving behind a dark hickey.</p><p>“Now you have something to remember me by”, he whispers into Drei's ears and the Warlock lets out an embarrassed squeak, which causes Levi to chuckle.</p><p>“Now go and get dressed or I think twice about letting you go like that”, it sounded like Levi was serious about it and the Awoken jumped up and nearly stumbled over his own feet as they got tangled up in the sleeping bag. Laughing Levi watched him as he quickly put on the armor and robes, then he smiles as the Warlock searches around for his signature Ahamkara Gauntlets.</p><p>“W-Were...? I placed them here!”, he then flinched as Levi gently placed the repaired pair of Gauntlets down next to him, smiling at the Warlock.</p><p>“Another thing to remember me by. I know they were a gift from your mentor so...I fixed them up for you”</p><p>Drei blinks and then stares down at the new gauntlets, the golden bones were the same, but the gauntlet underneath was different, the black color and the gold had a beautiful contrast and the feathers of steel glistened like they were freshly polished. Levi had replaced the broken ones and as he picked them up a soft smile travels over his lips at the lighter weight.</p><p>“Thank you...”, he whispers and then puts them on, his eyes seemingly glow brighter and the pattern of light on his body begins to swirl a bit faster, the specks of sunlight breaking through the roof of leaves dances faster like a breeze of wind is rustling through the leaves.</p><p>Levi smiles and then stands up himself, only wearing pants and a washed-out shirt as he embraces Drei in a tight hug.</p><p>“Goodbye for now...my sunlight”</p><p>“Goodbye...Levi...”</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So...”, Nassiz drew out the word as much as he could and Drei rolls his eyes, taking a deep breath and sighing, the engines of their ship humming softly underneath their feet.</p><p>“You and Levi, hm?”</p><p>“Shut it”, Drei hisses and the Exo cackles, then he shakes his head.</p><p>“Oh no, I am not going to shut it! You are always like this when it comes to something personal, always blocking it and trying to wiggle out of talking about it. Fucking hell, we could all die on Titan for all we know, Now spit it out!”, Nassiz hisses and Drei blinks before he sighs and then he pulls out a necklace that has a simple golden ring on it.</p><p>“Yes we had sex and yes I care about him”, the Warlock then confesses and gently turns the ring in his hands, looking over to Nassiz, who is surprised by the rather somber tone of Drei's voice.</p><p>“Drei, I-”</p><p>“No. You are now going to listen to this. You've asked me before about my past relationships, yes?”</p><p>“Y-Yeah...”, the Hunter looked for the first time uncomfortable and if it would be with any other topic, Drei would've teased his best friend for it, but now he just wanted to teach the Hunter a damn lesson.</p><p>“I was married to someone else before”, he looks down onto the golden ring and an old memory flashes through his mind, taking a deep sigh, he chuckles low.</p><p>“He and you would've gotten along so wonderful...he...he liked to tease me every chance he got, never leaving out an opportunity to not make me blush and fumble for my words. Managing to turn about everything into a joke about sex...”, Drei's voice cracks and he takes a deep breath, hot tears begin to run down his face and golden sunlight meets molten metal as they both look at each other.</p><p>“His name...was Nassiz-7”</p><p>Nassiz blinks and stares at Drei, then a hollow laugh vibrates in the Exo's chest.</p><p>“You...your joking, right...?”</p><p>“No. This...is nothing I would joke about”</p><p>“So...you...we...we were...married...? And...fuck...you knew me before I was a Guardian?!”</p><p>“Yes...”, Drei smiles and then a mixture of a sob and a laugh break out of his chest, his heart feels like it's being crushed in his chest while he fights to be able to form words. Unable to, he just clutches the simple golden ring in his shaking hands.</p><p>“Sal knew...I...I told him the moment you joined our fireteam...”, his voice was barely audible, only a whisper of what it once was, all strength stripped away, feelings laid bare.</p><p>“Why did you not...?”, Nassiz looks to Sal, who carefully sits down next to Drei and places a hand softly on his shoulder.</p><p>“Because the Vanguard forbids investigation in your own past...”, Sal tells him with a stern voice, gently pulling Drei into his side so the Warlock would relax.</p><p>“And...why...why are you telling me now? After...After all...all those years...?”, Nassiz stares at Drei, his own voice flickering and filling with static as the emotions roll over the Hunter.</p><p>“Why now...? Because even if you are not him anymore...you still deserve to know about it and...as you said, we could very easily die on Titan. The Hive... is known for that...”</p><p>“How...How did I die...?”, Nassiz then asks, curious about his past life now.</p><p>“Nassiz please...not...not now...”, Drei whispers, his voice shaking with all the pain.</p><p>“Sorry...I just...sorry...”, Nassiz stood up and then walked over to the leader of their fireteam, kneeling gently down in front of him and carefully clasping his hands around Drei's hands, which were holding the golden ring.</p><p>“I'm sorry...”, he whispers and Drei shakes his head, more tears spilling over his cheeks.</p><p>Sal silently embraces both of them in a hug, void energy blooming from him and wrapping around the two of them like a soft comforting blanket.</p><p>“You don't have to talk about it anymore”, the Titan says, his voice softer and warmer, one hand gently caressing the back of Drei's head.</p><p>“I can tell him what you've told me. How about you get some rest?”, Sal gently pulls Drei closer to himself, and the Warlock sniffs before he nods.</p><p>“S-Sounds good...”, he whispers and the Sentinel nods, before he gently lets go of the Sunsinger.</p><p>“If you need anything, sent Geist to me, yes?”</p><p>Drei nods and then he gently pulls his hands out of Nassiz's soft hold, taking the necklace off of him and handing it to the surprised Hunter.</p><p>“That...was yours...”, Drei's voice cracks again and the Hunter blinks, before his expression grows soft and the Exo gently takes it out of Drei's hands, looking it over, before he lets out a sigh, shaking his head. He then crept closer to Drei and gently places the necklace back around the Warlocks neck.</p><p>“Keep it, Sparkles”, Nassiz smiles and then gently wipes away some of the tears that are still running over Drei's cheeks.</p><p>“I'm sure past-me would've wanted that you keep it. Get some rest, yes?”</p><p>Sniffing the Sunsinger nods, before he stands up, taking a deep breath, Sal gently squeezes Drei's shoulder, smiling at him with a warmth that surprises Nassiz, he had never seen Sal this caring and emphatic.</p><p>“Sleep well, old friend”, the Titan says and Drei nods, sniffing once more, before he walks towards the sleeping quarters on the ship, as soon as the door closes behind him, the Warlock can feel all the repressed emotions come crashing down on him and he stares at the golden ring that is now again around his neck, the silver necklace reflecting the light that shines on it. With shaking hands he takes the ring back into his fingers, running it over the engraving that he knew was there and that was so familiar to him by now.</p><p>
  <em>You're the starlight to my sky and the sun in my life, Sparkles.</em>
</p><p>More tears fall from his cheeks and he closes his fist around the ring, holding it close to his chest as a silent sob shakes his body. It feels like he's cheating on the memory of his former husband by being with Levi and it hurts so much to know that Nassiz will never be the one that he had fallen in love with. That the one, that he wanted to keep safe from this life, is now a Guardian himself.</p><p>He always knew that the job inside the City's militia would one day be the end of Nassiz-7, but when it happened, it was a heavy hit for him and he still remembered how he had run to Sal's apartment and collapsed into the arms of his friend, he could still smell the scent of the cookies that the Titan then had baked for him, causing even more tears as Drei remembered how Nassiz used to make them for him when he was depressed or sad and the soldier had some time on his hands.</p><p>He still remembers the talks that he and Nassiz-7 had, how the Exo had laughed about being a stripper and dancer in his previous lives, ranging from Nassiz-3 to Nassiz-5, Nassiz-6 then quit the job and took up a job in the cities militia, going through the brutal training with ease and Drei still remembers how the Exo had leaned over his shoulder, looking curious at his book that he was reading, when they first had met. Back then he was already Nassiz-7, and Drei lets out a low whimper of pain as he remembers the amused tone when Nassiz-7 had asked him: “Good book to read, or can I throw it away? One of the soldiers gifted me the exact same copy and I don't want to spend my time reading a book full of moments of cringe”</p><p>And he also still owed the book, Nassiz' copy, because he had burned his own in a fit of rage and Nassiz had simply left the copy of 'Archdemons and Inquisitors' on their bed one day, inside was a crudely drawn winking smiley. Drei hoped that the book had survived the attack on the Last City and that the Red Legion wouldn't pilfer through his library or burn all of the books that he had stored there or in his apartment.</p><p>A gentle knock makes him jolt and he quickly wipes away his tears.</p><p>“Coming...!”</p><p>He stands up and opens the door, blinking surprised as he sees Sal standing before him.</p><p>“Geist said you needed a hug”, the Titan says and Drei blinks surprised, then he looks over to his Ghost, who's hovering next to his shoulder, spinning his shell idly.</p><p>“He...He's right...”, Drei's voice cracks again and Sal nods, then he smiles and takes out something that he had hidden behind his back.</p><p>Orange eyes widen as Drei stares at the copy of 'Archdemons and Inquisitors', that Sal holds in his hand.</p><p>“I knew it was of value to you so when I spotted it in the rubble...I just couldn't leave it behind and...maybe some reading calms you down”, the Titan says and the Warlock reaches out, carefully taking the book from Sal's hand, staring at the slightly singed cover, before he opens it up and stares at the crudely drawn winking smiley on the first page. More tears gather in his eyes and he lets out another sob, before he wraps his arms around Sal, pulling his friend in for a hug.</p><p>Chuckling the Titan returns the hug and holds him in a strong embrace, knowing that Drei needs some stability now.</p><p>“I also have something else”, he says and Drei sniffs before tilts his head a little, inclining Sal to continue.</p><p>“They might not be like the ones that we used to make but...I made those yesterday...”, Sal holds out a hand, and his Ghost transmats a small purple box in his hand, Drei stares at the box and then he looks at Sal.</p><p>“Where did you...get the ingredients...?”</p><p>“Well...I had to chase down some eggs from the chickens on the farm, but it was worth my trouble with them. I swear, birds just hate me...Louis tried to scratch out my eyes the last day and that chicken just has it out for me...!”</p><p>Snorting Drei tries to compose himself, but he just can't hold in the laughter that bubbles up in his throat and so he giggles, the joke of Sal having broken the sadness that clouded his mind.</p><p>“Yeah yeah, just you wait, when we're back on the farm, I'll show you what I'm talking about”, Sal mutters and then chuckles softly.</p><p>“You wanna lay down a bit and cuddle?”, he then asks and Drei sniffs, before he nods, already walking back into the room. Sal follows him and gently closes the door behind him, then he sits down onto the large mattress that's in the room, looking up to Drei, who takes off his boots and robe, before the Warlock crawls into it, looking at Sal, who has his boots already off and only wearing a simple dark blue undersuit, that at some places is more patches than suit.</p><p>“When we defeat the Cabal, I'm gonna buy you a new undersuit for your armor....”, Drei mutters and Sal lets out a soft chuckle before he opens the box and placing it down on the mattress.</p><p>“That sounds like a good idea”, he then offers Drei a cookie and like the Warlock always does, Drei eats it right out of the hand of the blonde, causing Sal to chuckle.</p><p>“Be glad that Levi isn't here, he would break my hand and then snap my neck for being able to do that with you”, he jokes, and Drei nearly chokes on the cookie, which causes Sal to laugh aloud, but then he gets somber really quick, looking to Drei.</p><p>“He's a good man though. You knew that he has his own Division underneath him?”</p><p>Drei shakes his head, chewing on the rest of the cookie and unable to answer the question with words.</p><p>“All Titans of them. Their trademark is their Drakes though. All heavily modified. I even saw one once with flaming wheels...!”, Sal's brown eyes began to glow with excitement and a weak smile breaks out on Drei's face, then he looks to the box and to Sal, who snorts, but takes a cookie out of the box and offers it to Drei.</p><p>“I would love to be able to take a look at their Drakes one day...or even build some for them. Maybe after this war is over I'll...ask him. And I'll tell him that you like to be fed”, he winks at Drei, who now blushes and tries to protest, but starts to cough again as he swallows some crumbs of the cookie and they go into his windpipe.</p><p>“Are you trying to kill him with cookies?”, Geist asks him, and Sal chuckles, before he hits Drei on the back, as he looks to the Ghost of the Warlock.</p><p>“It's not my fault when he can't eat cookies without choking on them”, he defends himself and Geist spins his shell before he turns around and goes back to what he was doing.</p><p>“You good?”, Sal asks Drei after a few minutes, and Drei nods, before asking: “Do you have to make them so they fall apart into crumbs at the slightest bit of movement?”</p><p>“Hey if you don't want them, then I can eat them all myself!”</p><p>The expression on Drei's face answers enough for the Titan and with a smirk, he offers Drei another cookie in his hand, chuckling as the Warlock eats it out of his hand.</p><p>“Yeah, really have to tell Levi about that. He's gonna lose his shit over this and then start to hand feed you only”</p><p>“Stop it!”, Drei chokes out between his coughs, and Sal laughs amused before he nods.</p><p>“Sure, I'll do. When you ask him if I can look at the Drakes of his Division”</p><p>“Whatever, just stop making jokes while I eat those cookies!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Drei looked out over the methane oceans that stretched endless to the horizon, his heart constricts in his chest as he takes out the ring from underneath his robes, clasping it tightly in his left hand. The golden bones of his gloves shimmer and he can hear a faint whisper coming from them.</p><p>Shaking his head the Warlock looks from his clutched hand to the ocean, he takes a step back and reels his left arm back as if to throw the ring out into the methane ocean, but as he is about to do it, he can't bring it over himself. Sinking to his knees he kneels on the platform and tears begin to stream over his cheeks again as the sadness once again has its tight grip on his heart.</p><p>Someone kneels down beside him and Drei doesn't even have to look, the light signature is too familiar by now and so he leans against Sal, who wraps one arm around the smaller Warlock, pulling him into his side.</p><p>“If that ring is causing you so much pain to look at...maybe it is better if you throw it away”, Sal says with a soft voice, but Drei shakes his head.</p><p>“N-No...! Nassiz he...he risked his life getting this damn ring out of his old home in the Cosmodrome...I...throwing it away would be...it would just feel wrong...”, Drei sniffs and looks down at the ring again, taking a deep breath.</p><p>“I just...it feels like I'm...cheating on him, you know?”, he tries to explain it to Sal, who nods and then leans against Drei's side, humming a soft tune.</p><p>“I know...even if I am not in a relationship and am not battling with such things like you do...I understand what you are going through...”, the Titan replies and Drei lets out a sigh of resignation.</p><p>“But maybe...you are right...maybe I should...just throw it away or...not wear it anymore...”, the Warlock looks down onto the golden ring and then back to Sal, who shakes his head.</p><p>“I can't help you there but...”, the Titan places one hand on the Doomfang Pauldrons that he is wearing, the purple spikes on the pauldrons themself begin to glow with his void energy as he continues to talk.</p><p>“Sometimes it is better to keep something with you that, even if you look at it, hurts you. Sometimes the memories attached to something are so painful that you can't let go of them and...that is okay. It is okay for you to be attached to something that hurts you. Emotions are not...they are not easy to deal with and healing from any kind of trauma takes a while, believe me...”, he gently traces over one of the spikes and smiles sadly.</p><p>“Before I was in your fireteam, Drei...I had my own fireteam”</p><p>The Warlock blinks and then looks over to his friend, the brown eyes of Sal are filled with deep sadness and the Titan looks so fragile as if one gust of wind could shatter him into thousands of pieces.</p><p>“We...were close...very close...”, then the Titan takes off his left gauntlet and Drei blinks as he spots two golden rings around Sal's hand, one around the ringfinger and the other around the thumb.</p><p>“We never married but..they always joked about it happening one day. Ravhi...he was more Titan than any other Titan I've ever met, apart from Shaxx of course. Darshan...sometimes Nassiz reminds me of him, you know? Darshan was an excellent tracker and...there was nothing he could not sneak his way around. I loved both of them and I still...blame myself for their deaths. Ravhi...he could only channel voidlight, but he was an expert at it and I am still looking up to him. He could not only summon a Ward of Dawn or a shield of Voidlight, no. He...was able to copy Warlocks and Hunters too. Pissed them off a great deal too, but...I never felt safer when I heard him channel his voidlight into a sword, shield in his other hand, rushing into battle to defend someone. He never talked much but...he knew how to make you feel safe and loved. Always gifted me and Darshan something that made us flustered. Ravhi and Darshan once tried to work out a new combination of their light and Darshan had this crazy idea of me throwing Ravhi, who would then use his body as a missile to destroy something, that he would mark with his bow. We tried it out once and...well, the Walker was a smoking pile of rubble afterward. I still...keep the rings that both of them made for me to remember them. Those Doomfang Pauldrons? Ravhi gifted them to me and I'll be putting them to good use. Darshan's last gift to me...is a weapon that I am never going to use...”, in Sal's hands a beautifully crafted sniperrifle appeared and he then looks to Drei with a smile.</p><p>“Want to trade...? Your ring....for this sniperrifle?”</p><p>“Sal...”, the Warlock stares at the Sniperrifle in awe, then he looks to the golden ring in his hands.</p><p>“Darshan would be blushing by the shots you're able to take, Drei. I am never using a sniperrifle, you know me, I'm more of an Autorifle and Shotgun user. But you...? You're a sniper”, he places the weapon gently down in front of Drei.</p><p>“Take it...and I'll take your ring and keep it safe for you”</p><p>The Warlock looks down to the ring that is sitting on his palm, then he looks over to Sal, who smiles at him.</p><p>“It's up to you. But I thought after the grim news that we received...you should at least have something nice”, the Titan says with a soft voice and Drei sniffs, touched by the words and the suggestion of Sal, along with the meaning behind the action.</p><p>“Keep it safe...”, Drei whispers, voice cracking underneath the emotions that he had as he hands his friend the necklace with the ring, hands shaking.</p><p>Smiling Sal claps his big hand around the ring and then nods at his friend, smile growing brighter.</p><p>“You know, you could bring something special from here as a gift for Levi, I'm sure he would appreciate it”, he then says and Drei blushes, hiding his face behind his hands, muttering: “Not you too...!”</p><p>Chuckling the blonde-haired human wraps the necklace around his fingers and then gently stuffs it into a pocket on his belt, closing it to keep the necklace and ring from falling out.</p><p>“I'm serious about it, Drei. Levi is a good guy and I think he would greatly appreciate it. Maybe grab him one of the older Shotguns that are laying around here? He has a knack for building weapons, maybe that gives him a few ideas for new ones”, he winks at Drei, who groans and then mutters: “Only if you bring something for Shaxx with you too”</p><p>Now it was Savalthus' turn to be embarrassed and turn red.</p><p>“W-What are you...?”</p><p>Drei chuckles amused and stands up, the new sniperrifle in his hands.</p><p>“Oh, I know exactly how you stare at him. How long do you want to continue that, hm?”, he asks him, a big grin on his face.</p><p>“If the world is gonna end soon, why not bring him something nice and confess to him?”, the Warlock chuckles and then dodges the punch that is thrown his way, cackling as Sal slips on the metal and has to catch himself.</p><p>“What are you guys doing back there?”, Nassiz's voice cuts through Drei's laughing, and the Warlock chuckles, before he points to their Titan.</p><p>“Sal slipped when he tried to punch me”, he said and their Hunter laughed, before jumping down from his perch, chuckling amused.</p><p>“Sal, never try to hit a Warlock, they are harder to hit than Hunters”, he says and Sal raises an eyebrow.</p><p>“Oh? So what I hear is...punch you then?”</p><p>“That's not what I said!”, Nassiz protests and a big grin appears on Sal's face.</p><p>“Not? Well, get ready to run then, because I'm gonna punch you”, the Titan says in a playful manner and Nassiz looks over to Drei, who just smirks amused.</p><p>“I would start to run, you know how stubborn Savalthus can be”, Drei said, using Sal's full name for more weight.</p><p>“You wouldn't dare”, Nassiz says to Sal, who grins, and then the Titan rushes forward, hand-formed into a fist that aims for Nassiz's stomach.</p><p>The Hunter dodges the fist with a surprised yelp, then he stares at Drei.</p><p>“You'll find Hive gunk in your sleeping bag!”</p><p>“Well, good that I sleep in Levi's sleeping bag”, the Warlock dismisses and Nassiz huffs, dodging another punch from Sal.</p><p>“Sal, stop it! We have more pressing matters on our plate!”, the Hunter says and Sal huffs, then he smirks.</p><p>“But trying to hit you is more fun!”, came the reply, and Nassiz rolls his eyes before he looks at the two of them.</p><p>“Zavala sent me to go and get Cayde while Sal is going to search for Ikora, you'll be sent back to the Farm and inform the people there that the Vanguard will soon be back. This war might not be over so fast, Zavala has a plan, but he needs his fireteam for it to work”, he informs them and Sal blinks.</p><p>“Why is he not sending Drei to search for Ikora?”, the Titan asks confused, and Nassiz smirks at him.</p><p>“Your stubborn act with Shaxx back at the Tower seems to have convinced him that you're the right man for the job”, the Hunter answers and Sal lets out a deep sigh.</p><p>“Great...any news on where I should start then?”, he asks and Nassiz chuckles.</p><p>“How about we two first try to find Cayde and he maybe has an idea where we find Ikora?”, he suggests and Sal nods, before he looks over to Drei.</p><p>“You okay with splitting us up like that?”</p><p>Drei smiles and then takes a step towards the two of them, arms stretched out as he embraces the two into a hug, pulling their bodies towards himself.</p><p>“I believe in you two...find them and bring them to the Farm safely...we'll see us there”, he gently pats both their backs, then he lets go of them and turns around, looking over his shoulder with a grin.</p><p>“You two have your own ships here?”, he asks and Nassiz blinks confused, then his face lights up and he cackles.</p><p>“If you wanted a room for yourself and Levi you could've just asked me, but yes we have our own ships, take the big thing”</p><p>“If I find any scratches on the paint you're gonna repair the hull yourself”, Sal says to Drei, who gives a fake gasp of hurt.</p><p>“Oh no, my poor wrists...! How will I ever get that done?”</p><p>“I think your wrists won't be the only thing hurting”, Nassiz winks at him and Drei stutters, now flustered and embarrassed.</p><p>“Punch Nassiz a few times for me, will you?”, he then mutters as he leaves the two of them, grinning amused as he hears a metal smacking noise, followed by Nassiz yelling: “Ouch!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as Drei steps out of the ship, he's nearly pushed back into it, strong arms wrap around him and he tastes almond and citrus on his lips as Levi's own lips crash against his.</p><p>He chuckles in his throat and returns the kiss with the same heat and affection, both arms wrapped around the Titan.</p><p>As they break the kiss, Levi gives a sound of disgust and mutters: “You need to take a bath...you reek of Hive...”</p><p>Drei laughs and then smiles at Levi.</p><p>“Want to join me?”, he asks him and he sees the faint blush forming on Levi's cheeks, then the Titan nods and smiles bright, scooping Drei up and carrying him bridal style.</p><p>“Didn't you say I reek of Hive?”, he asks him confused and Levi lets out a soft growl before he answers: “No matter how much you reek of Hive or how unpleasant your smell is, I'll always carry you”</p><p>Now it was Drei's turn to blush and he squeaks, hiding his face in Levi's neck, who chuckles amused.</p><p>“Traveler did I miss you, my sunlight...”, he then whispers, voice dropping a few octaves, interwoven with a deep hunger and a primal need that makes Drei shiver in anticipation.</p><p>“And I missed you, Levi”, he whispers back to him, smiling as he can feel the slight trembling of Levi's arms, knowing exactly what his voice was doing to the Titan.</p><p>“After the bath, I do have some news for everyone though, so if you could tell them to gather on the farm I would be thank full”</p><p>“Belle? You heard the man”, Levi says and his Ghost appears over his shoulder, spinning his shell, before he floats off, followed by a flash of blue as Geist follows the Ghost.</p><p>Drei blushes as he hears Geist telling him: “Take it easy, he's still without his light and you have yours back”</p><p>Levi smiles at him and then he stops in front of the small lake that is next to the Farm, looking down at the Warlock in his arms with a devious smirk.</p><p>“Levi, what are you-?”, Drei's question was interrupted by him screeching out in fear, as the Titan simply took two steps back, before running towards the shoreline of the lake, stopping at the little beach and letting Drei go, throwing him into the water.</p><p>“I HATE YOU!”, the Warlock screamed as he flew through the air, dropping with a soft splashing sound into the water, only to reappear with a gasp, spitting out some of the water, staring at Levi with furious glowing orange eyes.</p><p>Levi just giggled and cackled, clutching his stomach as he watched Drei swimming to the shore of the lake he was standing on, grinning as the small Warlock walked out of the water, his black hair plastered to the side of his head and face.</p><p>“I can say for one fact that you don't hate me”, Levi tells him and Drei rolls his eyes before he smirks deviously.</p><p>“Yeah I don't hate you, I love you. So much that I just want to hug you!”</p><p>“Drei, no, you have algeas all over your shoulders!”, the Titan protested, but Drei was faster, rushing up to him he embraced him in a strong hug, making sure to have some of the algeas cling to Levi's clothes and armor, a smug grin on his face.</p><p>“Shouldn't have thrown me into the lake then~”, he says and Levi huffs, before he chuckles, gently breaking their hug apart.</p><p>“How about I wash our clothes and you wash the rest of that stank off you?”</p><p>“But I want you to join me”, Drei looks at Levi, who sighs and chuckles softly.</p><p>“Well...how can I say no to that face?”, the Titan smiles warm and places a gentle kiss onto Drei's forehead. The Awoken shudders and suddenly it feels like a big wave of heat just hit his body.</p><p>“Drei...?”, Levi catches him as his knees buckle and the Warlock blinks surprised, looking up at Levi. When did he fall to the ground? Was Levi always this gorgeous looking...?</p><p>He smiles dumbstruck at the Titan and then gently pets his cheek.</p><p>“You have any idea how beautiful you look?”, he whispers with a soft tone of voice and Levi blinks, blushing a bit.</p><p>“U-Uhm...yeah? Drei are you okay?”, he bows down to him worried and Drei shivers as he catches a whiff of Levi's scent.</p><p>More heat pools in his stomach and he can feel his heart beating in his chest, almost as if it wants to escape and break out of his ribcage.</p><p>“Drei...?”</p><p>The Warlock hugs Levi and cuddles into him, letting out a low humming noise.</p><p>“Never leave me...”, he whispers and the Titan blinks surprised at the somber tone that Drei has while talking.</p><p>“I...I try my best”, he promises and pulls Drei into a strong hug, holding his body close to his own, not seeing the tears that gather in Drei's eyes.</p><p>“You have...no idea how much that means to me...”, Drei whispers, his voice cracking underneath the weight of emotions that gather up in his chest.</p><p>“Drei...hey, what's wrong?”, Levi gently takes the face of the Awoken in his hands and looks worried at him, gently wiping away some of the tears.</p><p>“Drei....talk to me, did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you by throwing you into the water?”</p><p>“N-No...you....it's fine I just...memories you know...?”, the Warlock tries to smile at him, lips twitching as he tries to curl them into a smile, muscles not responding so he gives up and sacks into Levi's arms.</p><p>“Just memories...”</p><p>“But it doesn't sound like your believing that it's just memories. What's wrong my sunlight?”, Levi gently sits down and pulls Drei in his lap, the Hive smell is not important right now, they can always wash that away later or get the Warlock new clothes, but right now, Levi wants to take care of him, to know what makes his sunlight cry so he can help soothe the pain.</p><p>“Memories are painful, but if you share them with others, they can be less painful, because you're no longer wearing that knowledge alone and someone else can help you out, be there for you”</p><p>Levi gently kisses Drei on his cheeks and the Awoken looks up to him, his orange eyes suddenly glowing as he mutters something underneath his breath that Levi didn't quite catch.</p><p>“I'm sorry, can you repeat that...?”, he asks and Drei leans up towards him, lips brushing over Levi's neck.</p><p>“I rather not talk about it...but...can...can you distract me?”</p><p>The Titan tilts his head and looks down to the smaller Warlock, who now clings to him like he is the only thing standing between him and the memory in his head.</p><p>“Uhm...sure. You want me to tell you what happened here while you were gone?”, Levi asks him and Drei shakes his head.</p><p>“N-No...No talking...I...distract me in a way that... were I can't think...that keeps the memories far away”</p><p>Levi raises an eyebrow at that and he tilts his head before he smirks.</p><p>“Well, for what I have in mind we don't need our clothes”, the Titan says and Drei feels a shiver travel through his body as Levi's hands sneak their way underneath the fabric off his robes and gently explore the skin underneath.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So we're losing either way...?”, Levi asks, head tilted curiously.</p><p>“Yeah...even with the Drake that we have we won't...that won't be enough to distract the Cabal. That one Drake could be torn up within seconds when they are focusing their heavy fire upon it”, Drei says, letting out a sigh.</p><p>“One Drake maybe but...what about a division of Drakes?”</p><p>“You...have that many Tanks?”, Drei asks him curious and Levi smirks.</p><p>“Well, not now but when my Division can make it into the City without being spotted we can snag our Drakes that we hid in the City Walls and lay waste to a few of the ships the Cabals have. Could maybe even get some of the others to snag a few of our special ships and get some air cover going for the people that'll sneak into the City”</p><p>“Not to...dampen your mood or to call your plan stupid but...Titans are not known for stealth”, Drei says and Levi raises an eyebrow.</p><p>“Who said that? Are Warlocks only know to be good with books then?”, he asks and Drei lets out a sigh before he gently places a hand on Levi's shoulder.</p><p>“Levi, you Titans are walking behemoths in armor. How do you expect to not be spotted the moment you enter the City?”, he asks him and Levi chuckles before he smiles and answers: “Oh let that be my problem. My Division knows what they are doing, trust me”</p><p>“I...also don't want to lose you...”, Drei mutters and Levi smiles, before he gently wraps his arms around Drei, pulling him into a tight hug.</p><p>“You are not going to lose me, my sunlight. I will come back to you, I promise”</p><p>“How can you say that...you have no light...so how can you say that?”, Drei whispers and Levi smiles, then he gently cups Drei's face with his hands, looking into his orange glowing eyes.</p><p>“Because I have someone that waits for me to come back. And I won't charge recklessly into the fight either. I know what I am capable of doing and what not. Believe it or not, but I actually use my brain. I mean, I have to, my entire Division is counting on me to lead them into battle”</p><p>“Did...all of them survive?”, he asks and Levi grins before he nods.</p><p>“Yup! I fought to give them time to escape and then you lot came and saved me. Thought for a moment that some of 'em came back despite the orders I gave them, but no. Turns out it is a crazy Warlock driving a Tank”</p><p>Drei laughs amused and then gently punches Levi in the shoulder, smiling at him with his orange eyes glowing softly.</p><p>“Well, now you're in love with that crazy Warlock”, he teases the Titan, which causes Levi to laugh, his silver eyes glittering with joy.</p><p>“Yes, and I would not trade that in for anything”, Levi returns and Drei feels the blush creeping on his face, chuckling he hides it in the neck of Levi, inhaling the scent of his lover with a fond smile on his face.</p><p>“Good...I also wouldn't trade you for anything”</p><p>“Well, you have your light back so you are no longer mortal like me”</p><p>“Even if I wouldn't have it back, I would still love you all the same. And you don't need your light to be an amazing person, Levi. Even without the Traveler and your powers you are still my light”, Drei whispers and he can feel Levi tense up a bit, worried he might've said something wrong, he pushes himself away from the Titan and looks at him.</p><p>“Did I hurt...?”, his words are swallowed by hot lips on his own, arms that wrap around him and pull him against the shivering body of the Titan.</p><p>“You didn't hurt me...you could never hurt me...”, Levi whispers against Drei's lips, tears shimmering in his eyes as he kisses him again, arms wrapped around him like he's afraid to lose him if he would let go.</p><p>“You are my beautiful sunlight, you could never hurt me...never...”, he reassures Drei, holding him tight to his chest, body shivering as he whispers: “I am so afraid to lose you...that I would leave you behind when I'm dead...”</p><p>Drei gently grabs Levi's chin and lifts it up, looking into his eyes with a soft smile on his face, orange eyes glowing softly with light and solar energy as he leans closer to Levi, gently tracing his lips with his thumb.</p><p>“You will never lose me. Wherever I am, you will be too”, with that he gently places a soft kiss onto Levi's lips.</p><p>The Titan trembles and then wraps his arms around Drei's body again, pulling him into a tight hug, returning the kiss with passion and love that makes Drei's stomach flutter with affection and love towards the Titan.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Here”</p><p>Drei looks up surprised as Levi hands him his golden Ahamkara gauntlets, a soft smile on his face.</p><p>“Kick their ass for me”, he says and Drei lets out a soft chuckle, grabbing the Claws of Ahamkara and putting them on, then he gently hugs Levi, pulling him into a tight hug.</p><p>“And you be careful, yes?”, he whispers and Levi chuckles, gently patting Drei's back.</p><p>“Can't promise anything, but we'll try our best. I have my Division to watch my back and we'll make it through this together”, he says and Drei chuckles before he nods and places a soft kiss onto Levi's lips.</p><p>“Good...don't want to have to burry you”, he says and Levi chuckles warmly before he gently squeezes Drei with one of his hands.</p><p>“Ain't gonna happen”, with a smirk he gently lets go of his lover, before he walks over to where his Division is gathering to get ready for the assault on the Red Legion, all of them are wearing simple armor and black clothes to help them blend into the night.</p><p>Drei chuckles and then turns around to Nassiz and Sal, both of them getting ready to gear up.</p><p>“You two ready?”, he asks and Sal lets out a deep sigh, looking down on his slightly trembling hands.</p><p>“I'm still...worried...”, he says and then looks to Drei with a weak smirk.</p><p>“Sal? Thank the Traveler you haven't yet made your way to the Cabal Ship!”, Duke's voice calls out and the Titan walks over to them, wearing his usual suit of armor, a soft smile on his face as he takes the large Minigun from his back and hands it to Sal.</p><p>“Take this with you, it'll help against Thumos and the Cabal”, he says and Sal stares at the Sweet Business that Duke hands him.</p><p>“But that...that gun is yours! Genasi gifted that to you!”</p><p>Duke smiles and then claps Sal on the back, his eyes glowing with what little bit of light that he has inside him, silver starlight glinting with a refound purpose.</p><p>“And I am lending it to you. On an assault, the large gun will just be in my way, so I'm handing it to you for that. Zavala said that you aren't sneaking inside, so that will come in handy”, Sal's mentor pets the Sentinels back and Sal himself shudders, before he smiles, nodding at Duke.</p><p>“I will bring it safely back, promised”, the brown eyes are filled with a vigor that Drei hasn't seen in them for a long time and he smiles relieved.</p><p>“Good. Now go out there and kick ass”, Duke looks at the three of them, before he embraces all of them in a strong hug.</p><p>“Make me strong, Fireteam Crimson...”, he whispers and Drei shivers, then he smiles and returns the hug, arms wrapping around Duke's back and Nassiz's back. The Hunter lets out a soft giggle and cuddles into Drei, Sal, and Duke.</p><p>“You can bet on that”, the Nightstalker says, orange eyes glowing with bright light as he looks up to the three.</p><p>“Crimson will beat their ass in no time”, Drei says, and Duke smiles at the three of them.</p><p>“Good! Keith and Lucus will come with me and we'll support Zavala on his assault on the City, maybe even take a page out of Cayde's book and set up a trap with explosives somewhere. Kill some of those bastards for me, yes?”</p><p>With that the Titan lets the three of them go and turns around, walking towards Keith and Lucus, who are currently quietly talking among themself, probably about where they'll set up the explosives.</p><p>“Ready?”, Sal asks Drei and Nassiz, both grin at him before all three of them pick up their helmets and put them on.</p><p>The Display inside Drei's helmet lights up and he shivers as he feels his light starting to sing inside his body, the solar energy burning like a bright flame and for a few seconds he remembers the last night with Levi, the rough touch of the Human on his body, the feeling of teeth across his skin.</p><p>He takes a deep breath and then with a flash of blue energy his Sparrow is in front of him, the engine of the machine is humming softly underneath his fingers, he looks over to Nassiz and Sal, who both have their Sparrows transmatted in, a simple nod towards the two and they all sit down. </p><p>The warm wind blows around Drei's body as he drives along the road, they are headed towards the Tunnels that lead to the base where Thumos' ship is currently stationed.</p><p>“You think we're gonna see them again?”, Nassiz suddenly asks in a moment of silence and Drei looks to his left, where Nassiz is sitting on his black-colored sparrow, that Sal has built for him out of spare parts they found on Titan.</p><p>“Who?”, he then asks and Nassiz nudges his head back to where the Farm lays.</p><p>“All of 'em. They might have the advantage of numbers, but they don't have their light”, Nassiz says and Sal interjects: “Zavala knows what he is doing and while I'm sure we'll lose some of the newer ones, we won't lose all of them. We just have to not make any mistakes while taking out the Almighty and Zavala can start the assault on the City and take it back. Don't forget that we have the Vanguard now united and even if they don't have their light, they still survived a lot. They have experience and they know how to be resourceful. Don't doubt their skill and focus on the mission”</p><p>“What he said. Now cut the chatter, we are almost there”, Drei tells the two, and both nod at his words.</p><p>They park their Sparrows a few feet away from the entrance to the tunnel and all three of them look at each other.</p><p>“Ready?”, Drei looks towards Sal, who nods and moves closer to him, gripping Sweet Business in his hands as Drei wraps his arms around the Titan.</p><p>“Let's give them hell”, Sal growls.</p><p>Light sparks into action and Drei takes flight, large wings of solar energy sprout out of his back, and in his arms he carries Sal, who cackles and spins up the barrel of his Sweet Business.</p><p>The Cabal that are stationed at the entrance doesn't even have a chance to react as the bullets hail down upon them like a rainstorm after a large drought.</p><p>Nassiz smirks and then there is only a shimmer of light in his shape, before the Hunter disappears from sight completely and makes his way into the Tunnels, followed by Drei who still carries Sal in his arms, solar wings keeping both of them afloat and with the Sweet Business the Titan mows down everything that dares to cross their path. Nassiz then kills everything that survives the hail of bullets, the sound of Thorn ringing out like a loud, sharp cry as the Hunter fires the newly forged gun, the white bone shimmering with his personal light. A simple gift from Blight after the Hunter had helped him with a few problems within the Swarm.</p><p>“Zavala, we should be at the Carrier within 10 minutes”, Nassiz informs the Commander.</p><p>“Guardians, you have a tough road ahead. So I'm sending in Holiday with something...special”, Zavala's voice rings out to them and Nassiz tilts his head, but before he can ask, Cayde already beats him to the punch.</p><p>“Are we talking Gjallahorn special? Or an Ikora philosophy lesson special?”</p><p>“Just keep moving. Storm the facility and board that Cabal Carrier. No matter the cost, we MUST get to the Almighty”, Zavala sounds serious and Nassiz responds with a: “Understood Sir, we're in the Tunnels leading to the Carrier. So far the plan works as intended”, he dodges the bullet of a Cabal headhunter Sniperrifle, flipping the Psion off that fired the rifle at him as he fires a Thorn Round back, splitting open the head of the Psion.</p><p>“So Zavala, I've got to ask you something, when you told our Guardian friend here, and I quote: “I need Cayde”, did you by any chance happen to maybe...cry?”</p><p>The question makes Sal nearly choke on his spit and he turns his head to look at Nassiz, asking him over a private channel: “The fuck did you tell him?”</p><p>“Ahem. Holliday, what is your status?”, Zavala deflected the question and Holidays voice piped up a few moments later.</p><p>“Still a couple clicks out, Commander. This girl is heavy”</p><p>Drei tilts his head and then he gently taps Sal on the shoulder, signaling to the ground. Sal nods and Drei lands onto the ground, letting go of Sal, shaking out his arms as the solarwings fold on his back and disappear.</p><p>“Also, Drei? Levi sends his regards”, Amanda tells him over a private channel and Drei smiles warmly.</p><p>“I take it they arrived at their Hangar?”</p><p>“Yes, in fact, they told me to take a few of their modified Drakes to support you guys, said that only you are allowed to drive it though”, Amanda tells him and Drei feels a soft warmth spreading out in his body at the thought of driving a special Tank that Levi had sent his way.</p><p>They walk around a corner and Drei's heart warms up when he spots the jumpship of Amanda hovering over the ground, a white-colored Tank attached to it.</p><p>“Heads up!”</p><p>“You got us a TANK?!”, Nassiz yells out and Drei can hear the soft chuckle from Sal. The Hunter jumps towards the Drake, but Drei beats him to it, rushing forward and jumping onto the Drake, opening the hatch and climbing inside.</p><p>“Mine!”, he announces and he can hear the chuckle from both Sal and Nassiz.</p><p>“You got them a tank? How come I never got a tank?”, Cayde complains and Amanda shots back: “You know you'd just break it”</p><p>With a smirk on his face, Drei drives the Tank forward, Sal and Nassiz jump onto the Tank and hold on to the handles that are fixed to the side for probably exactly that reason.</p><p>“Holler my way if you need another of those armored beauties. Plenty more where that came from”, Amanda informs them and the Hunter Vanguard interjects: “Oh, so I get nothing, and they get as many as they want. I see how it is”</p><p>Chuckling to himself Nassiz takes a deep breath and forms his Nightstalker Bow in his hands, climbing onto the roof of the Drake as he finds a more stable position to stand in, breathing out as he draws back the bowstring, focusing on the Cabal that are ahead of them, then the arrow is let loose, hissing through the air like a hungry shark through water, piercing through the chest of a Cabal only to blossom into multiple tethers, reaching out for the nearby Cabal and marking them on the HUD of both the Drake and Sal.</p><p>The Titan smirks underneath his helmet and void energy begins to gather in his hands, before he unleashes it, a loud scream echoing through the tunnels as he throws the shield, the Doomfang Pauldrons begin to glow bright with his voidlight, and another shield forms on his left hand as the Titan jumps from the Drake and throws himself into the fight.</p><p>From there on out the entire mission becomes a blur for Drei, when he isn't busy shooting the Tank, he dodges the large projectiles and shoots at Tanks or Interceptors that the Red Legion deployed to get rid of their Drake.</p><p>The Drake itself reacts excellent on his commands and the machine not once fails him, as if the Drake itself knew what was at stake.</p><p>The mission stayed a blur, even as he went on the ship and took out Thumos with the help of Nassiz and Sal, the latter being the one who killed Thumos with a well-aimed throw of his shield.</p><p>The trip to the Almighty went completely past him, taking out the mechanism that cooled the construct down along with running to Thumos Ship, flying back to the Last City.</p><p>All that Drei's thoughts were focused on was how Levi was in the City, lightless and how one bullet or broken bone could mean his end. The scenarios that play in his head get the Warlock nervous and dread fills his chest.</p><p>“Drei?”, Sal gently places a hand onto his shoulder and Drei jolts, solarlight flaring up in his eyes as his head whips around, searching for who spoke his name, hoping for a split second it would be Levi, but when his eyes meet brown eyes, disappointment floods his body with coldness.</p><p>“You were absent for all of that...are you okay?”, the Titan asks him and Drei shakes his head.</p><p>“No...I...I need to...Levi...”, he shakes and Sal smiles before he nods and gently pets the Warlocks shoulder.</p><p>“He'll be alright, now let's go home and take back our City from those Space Rhinos, yes?”</p><p>“Can you...drop me off where his Division is?”, Drei asks, his voice barely a whisper, but Sal understands him, and nodding he smiles at him, pointing to the Sniperrifle on Drei's back.</p><p>“Use that to protect him and his Squad, we'll manage without you”</p><p>The Titan gently hugs him and whispers: “We'll make it through it....all of us, I promise you that...”</p><p>Drei wants to believe him, he really wants to, but he just can't, there are too many factors that are speaking against it. But he returns the hug and nods, trying to force himself into believing his friend. The cold dread that gathers in his stomach speaks volumes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The distant gunfire echoed over the Last City as Drei rushed through the streets, gunning down Cabal left and right with the handcanon that Keith had given him. Apparently, the name of the Gun was 'Crimson' and it was the signature weapon of Genasi. Something went off to his right and Drei dove for cover, coughing up dust as some of the building crumbled and debris falling down around him. Luckily none hit the Warlock and so he continued on running towards the sounds of Drake rounds being fired.</p><p>Every time there was an explosion going off, he was afraid to hear a distant scream of pain, that Levi would be hit by debris or worse that a stray bullet would hit him.</p><p>“He's going to be fine”, Geist told him and Drei let out a bitter laugh.</p><p>“Yeah sure, this isn't a romance novel, Geist”, he snapped at his Ghost, leaping over a Cabal Warbeast and incinerating it with a simple motion of his fingers, dodging the maws of another as he shots at the beast, grim expression underneath his helmet.</p><p>A tank drove up to him and the hatch opened up, a blood-stained face appeared and someone yelled at him: “Get inside, it's not safe out there without- oh! Your the commander's boyfriend! He's up ahead, dealing with a few Phalanxes and Psions!”</p><p>Drei cursed underneath his breath and nodded at the Titan, solarwings blossoming on his back as he took to the sky, shooting like a falling star over the battlefield and into the direction he was being pointed, sniperrifle ready to take out any threat that would harm him or those around him.</p><p>He could hear the barking of the Warbeasts along with some angry Cabal screaming and then he had them in his sights, two large Phalanxes were bashing their shields against a Drake that was with its back to a wall, while two Warbeasts were scratching and gnawing at the hatch.</p><p>Fury roared like a beast inside him and he let out a yell of rage, the sniperrifle rang out 4 times and four targets dropped dead with a bullet right between their eyes, splattering their blood everywhere.</p><p>The hatch opened and silver eyes stared at him, then Levi had a big grin on his face.</p><p>“Ah...I see that the cavalry has arrived”, he said, chuckling amused at his own joke.</p><p>“Patch Geist into your comms and then let's kills these fuckers”, Drei snarled and the grin on Levi's face got even bigger.</p><p>“You have no idea how sexy you sound when your angry”, the Titan flirts with him and then nods towards his Ghost, who spins his shell and Drei can hear the loud scream of someone yelling: “Need support on my end! Those assholes have sabotaged the road and I'm stuck here like a duck!”</p><p>“Hold out, help is on its way!”, Levi replied and then looks to Drei, motioning for him to follow his Drake as he disappears through the hatch back into it, closing the hatch behind himself.</p><p>The engines of the Drake howl like a hungry beast as Levi accelerates, driving straight over a few corpses and through a wall.</p><p>“I fucking hope that the help arrives soon or you can scrape me off the damn floor yourself! Traveler do I wish I had my damn light. I would pummel those stupid Cabals into the damn ground!”</p><p>“Well you don't have your light so don't go out playing the hero, Dwayne!”, someone snarls over the coms and Drei lets out a soft chuckle, then his wings expand further.</p><p>“Well, he might not have it, but I have it”, he then replies, and with a quick beat of his wings, the Warlock heads over to where he can hear the constant firing of turrets.</p><p>“Your boyfriend is here? Fuck why didn't you say so, Levi? Now your gonna embarrass me in front of him!”, Dwayne retorts and Drei blushes a bit.</p><p>“Stop thinking with your dick, he's already reserved for Levi and the commander ain't sharing him with you if you managed to fall for such a simple trap. I didn't survive the Hive just to end up watching you making a rookie mistake”</p><p>“Yo Cora I don't think you should assume anything about them”, Dwayne shoots back at the woman and Levi chuckles softly.</p><p>“Your both right. I am not sharing my boyfriend with any of you”</p><p>“Do I get a say in this too?”, Drei asks as he descends down upon the turret, Dawnblade in hands he melts right through the construction, dashing towards the next and taking it out in the same fashion.</p><p>“Fuck you didn't tell me that he's a damn Sunsinger! You know I've got the hots for those!”, Dwayne says and Drei shoots back: “One more pun about that and I'll skewer you on this blade I'm holding”</p><p>“Well I wouldn't be against getting skewered by your Dawnblade”</p><p>“I think you couldn't even take it”, Drei shots back as he leaps into the air, sending fire out into the Cabal underneath him.</p><p>The response to his comment is loud hollering laughter from the entire Division.</p><p>“You got a feisty boyfriend, I love him already!”, Cora then says and Drei chuckles amused.</p><p>“Is your division always bantering like that?”, he then asks and Levi replies with a chuckle: “Yes, that's what makes us special. Plus it helps to keep the morale up”</p><p>“Good then let's get moving and...oh fuck. The Red Legion is deploying barriers funneling people into kill boxes!”, Cora informs them and Drei lets out a low growl.</p><p>“Those space rhinos never learn....any info on the Vanguard?”</p><p>“Last I've seen them Ikora was driving around on a Sparrow, trying to get herself to where Cayde was. Haven't heard of them since”, Dwayne answers the question for the Warlock, who lands in front of the tank that Dwayne is driving.</p><p>He takes one look at the damaged road underneath the wheels of the Drake and then shakes his head.</p><p>“You're gonna be stuck here for a while, Dwayne. You guys got backup Drakes?”</p><p>“Oh, I ain't gonna be stuck, move it!”</p><p>Raising one eyebrow underneath his head the Warlock stood aside only for his eyes to widen as the engines of the Drake howl and with the shifting of gears the Drake suddenly lifts itself up in the air.</p><p>“Fancy, eh? I can't shoot at the same time, because those engines take quite a lot of energy, but it's a fancy thing to have”, Dwayne tells him and Drei now understands Sal's obsession with those Drakes.</p><p>They really are something different.</p><p>“Heads up!”, something hisses past Drei and he can feel the immense heat radiating off from it, then the large wall in front of him suddenly explodes, leaving a large hole in it.</p><p>“Now people can pass through here without needing to be concerned about those fancy barricades. Suck on that assholes!”, Cora yelled out and Drei chuckles amused before he takes to the sky, reloading his sniperrifle.</p><p>This fight would be taking some time, but he was ready to take back the City, to take back his home.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When the Traveler blew open the cage and light flooded through every cell of Drei's body, he could hear the distant song of the Traveler echo through his skull, like a soft warm song lulling him to sleep.</p><p>The first reaction that followed afterward, was Levi's battlecry as he opened the hatch of his Tank and stepped out, light blazing all around him as the Titan surrounded his whole body in arc energy, leaping into the air and crashing down onto a small group off Cabal, laughter ringing through Drei's head.</p><p>“Finish 'em off!”, Levi roared to his Division and the Drakes that were around Drei began to glow bright with light, every single one of them let their engines roar, before they all sped off in different directions, much faster than before. Lightinfused ammunition began to rain down onto the Cabal, who very quickly backed down and were slaughtered by the brutal assault.</p><p>Levi himself walked up to Drei, a big smile on his face as he approached the Warlock and then simply embraced him, arc energy crackling around his entire body.</p><p>“I...I got my light back...we all...got our light back...!”, the Titan says, voice shivering and breaking with the amount of raw relief that is in it.</p><p>Drei chuckles and then returns the hug, holding his lover in a tight hug, his own body shivers as he feels the much stronger light radiating off from Levi. He can feel the arc pulsating through Levi like a storm, untamed and full with unbridled fury, like an animal ready to strike. The Titans sigil was a lion and Levi right now made him think of a Lion, with the feeling he got alone from his light.</p><p>“Well then...let's show them that they have messed with the wrong people”, large solar wings blossom on Drei's back and the Warlock takes to the air, taking Levi with him.</p><p>Laughing Levi clings to him and then yells out: “Leave some for me!”, to his division, who at this point carve their way through the defenses of the Cabal like they are nothing.</p><p>The first large Cabal ships begin to take off, the Cabal have probably noticed that by now they have no chance of winning this war, Not with the Guardians having their light back.</p><p>To their left Drei spots a Warlock who flings himself into the air with void tendrils, becoming a weapon itself as he tears apart a Trasher with some of his void tendrils, steering the body of the Trasher into a group of Cabal and blinking away from the explosion, landing in the midst of a group of Psions that were hastily gathering their things to retreat and flee, only to be obliterated by a pulse of voidlight, rippling out from the body of the Warlock like something disturbed the surface of a lake.</p><p>Underneath them solarlight explodes and several Golden Gun shots are fired as a Hunter runs out in the open, clad in simple gear that he built out of leather and some old Cabal armor from the looks of it.</p><p>Drei hears someone yell and he lets himself and Levi drop a few feet to avoid colliding with a Titan that's been flung through the air like a projectile.</p><p>He laughs when he recognizes the armor of Duke, solarlight roaring as the Titan summons a large battleax in his hands, solarlight wrapping around his body in an extra set of armor as he comes crashing down onto a pack of Warbeasts, blazing through them with an unmatched fury.</p><p>“Heads up!”, he hears Keith's voice through the coms and he smirks as he feels the familiar whispering of the void, then a Nightstalker arrow zips past him and impales one of the Trashers that was about to lift into the air. The hull of the ship breaks open like a ripe fruit, allowing Duke to demolish the entire ship with one swing of his ax. He spots the Hunter, wielding a large voidspear and throwing javelins and arrows of void around him into groups of fleeing Cabal.</p><p>Drei lands in a group of Cabal, solarwings burning them as he unfurls them, Levi lashes out at them, punching everything that comes near him as Drei summons his Dawnblade, fighting at Levi's side, their light mixing together into a symphony of death.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Drei leans against the balcony of his apartment, looking out into the Last City underneath him, the small sea of lights has a calming effect on the Warlock since it shows that the people are returning to the City, taking up their old lives again. He and Levi have been helping out in the City here and there, cleaning up debris or other things that were too heavy for others to handle. Sometimes Levi's Division also makes little races through the larger areas of the City with their Tanks, Levi always scolds them for it, but he has yet to turn down an offer to compete with them in the races. Drei has tried to keep Nassiz from taking on bets from civilians as for which Drake would make it through the finish line first, but then Nassiz had done it anyway and the small business was booming. Maybe the Tank races were becoming a new tradition and he would not stop that, as currently, the people needed all the stability they needed after something like the Red War.</p><p>He still grimaced at the memory of being without his light and Levi often held him in his arms at night, gently talking to him to calm him down. If talking didn't help, he had Drei summon his Dawnblade and hold it until the Warlock had calmed down and accepted that he had his light still and wasn't lightless like he was in his nightmares.</p><p>The Nightmares weren't the only thing plaguing Drei. He still had to process Genasi's death and Levi often caught him watching the footage of Genasi's death on repeat, the screams of the former Mentor were some kind of anchor for Drei, but he also sometimes felt guilty about letting down Genasi, every time when that happened Levi would wrap him in an almost bone-crushing hug and tell him again and again that there wasn't anything that Drei should feel guilty for.</p><p>Warm hands sneaked underneath the shirt that Drei was wearing and the Awoken chuckled low, before he leaned back against Levi, closing his eyes to relax against the warm body behind him.</p><p>“Here you are. The food is getting cold”, Levi mutters into the Warlock's ear and Drei smiles soft, looking over his shoulder into the silver eyes of his boyfriend.</p><p>“Can we...eat out here?”, he asks him and Levi tilts his head before he shrugs and gently lets go of Drei, walking inside to grab the boxes with the food they ordered a few hours ago.</p><p>“Why not?”, smiling Levi hands the box with fried chicken, rice, and vegetables to the Awoken. Drei smiles at the sight of the food and then accepts the chopsticks that Levi offers him.</p><p>“I still can't understand how you can eat with those, my hands always cramp up when I try to hold them and I end up impaling my food on the end of it rather than pick it up”, Levi then confesses to him and Drei chuckles amused, holding the Chopsticks in his left hand as he picks up a slice of the fried chicken meat, winking at Levi.</p><p>“Genasi didn't just teach me how to use my light you know. That...he liked to eat things with chopsticks and I asked him once to teach it to me and so he did. It is rather easy once you learn how to hold them. Here, try to hold them and I can correct your grip on them”, he offers the chopsticks to Levi, who raises an eyebrow, before taking them a bit hesitantly in his fingers.</p><p>“Okay, let the lower one rest on your ringfinger, now press your thumb against the lower chopstick, it's not going to move at all. Grab the upper one between your index and middlefinger, then flex those two fingers to grab what you want to eat. Don't worry about your grip slipping on them, it'll take a while until you get the hang of it”, Drei instructs Levi, who blinks and looks at his hand, before he chuckles amused.</p><p>“Look at me, I'm eating with chopsticks!”, grinning confidently the Titan then moves his fingers as instructed, opening the chopsticks up to grab a piece of his fried duck, his eyes widen when he manages to grab the meat successful and with a gleeful he lifts it to his mouth.</p><p>Drei chuckles amused and then gently takes them from Levi, pressing a soft kiss onto his lips with a smirk.</p><p>“There are more chopsticks in the drawer if you want to eat your entire meal with them”, he informs him and Levi chuckles.</p><p>“Nah, I'll stick to a fork and a spoon for now. But...thank you for teaching me that”, the smile on Levi's face is honest and Drei chuckles before he picks up a piece of his fried chicken and offers it to Levi with a smirk on his face.</p><p>“Wanna try mine? The meat is soft and delicious!”</p><p>“Oh I won't say no to getting fed by such a handsome Awoken like you”, Drei blushes at the compliment, and with a smirk Levi bows forward to take the offered piece of fried chicken meat, humming in acknowledgment when he chews it.</p><p>“Yeah you were right, it is very soft and delicious”, he says and Drei nods before he continues to eat, raising an eyebrow when Levi tries to steal some chicken from him.</p><p>“Hey, you have your duck!”, he protests and pulls the box out of Levi's reach, causing Levi to giggle amused.</p><p>“Well, your chicken is so delicious I can't help it!”</p><p>“Well, you ordered fried duck with vegetables and rice. If you wanted chicken you should've ordered that instead”, Drei teases him, and the Titan gasps in a playful offended tone.</p><p>“Is my boyfriend lecturing me?”</p><p>Drei chuckles amused and then picks up another piece of meat, placing it in Levi's box.</p><p>“Yes I am, but I am not against sharing my food with you, if you give me some of your duck”, with that he steals a larger piece of meat from Levi, who gasps offended.</p><p>“Hey! That was bigger than what you gave me!”</p><p>“Oh now, your arguing about the amount of meat? You got two strips already so I can take a larger strip from you as compensation”, Drei says and Levi chuckles softly.</p><p>“If I would've known that I would never suggest getting food with you. You're always this nitpicky?”, he then teases Drei, who snorts and laughs.</p><p>“No, but I get nit-picky when someone takes my food”</p><p>“You literally gave me the first strip!”, Levi says and Drei chuckles before he winks at Levi as he places down another piece of fried chicken in Levi's box.</p><p>“That enough compensation for you, Commander?”, he purrs and he smirks as he watches the subtle shiver going through Levi's body.</p><p>“You like it when I call you that? Commander~?”, Drei smirks amused at Levi, who blinks, before nodding.</p><p>“Good...now how about we eat before our food gets cold and then you can show this new recruit how to handle a weapon”, the Warlock winks at the Titan and Levi snorts, before he whispers: “Please don't try Dirty Talk like that ever again”</p><p>Giggling Drei answers: “Oh I can't promise anything. Though...if you order me to not do it, then I might consider following that Order, Commander~”</p><p>Levi lets out a sigh and shakes his head, a smile on his face.</p><p>“Oh, you would love to be ordered around by me, hm?”</p><p>“Bet your ass I would”, Drei answers with a big grin on his face as he continues to eat his food.</p><p>“You should really not hang around Nassiz that much anymore, he's influencing your behavior”</p><p>“Well I can't help it, he's my brother and I wouldn't trade him for anything. Your Division also has some feisty members in it”, the Warlock replies and Levi laughs, shaking his head.</p><p>“Oh no, Nassiz is on a totally different level than Dwayne or Cora. Traveler, not even Simon is that horny. I heard that you two have a bet going on? What is it about this time?”, he tilts his head and a mischievous grin spreads on Drei's lips.</p><p>“For Nassiz to strip naked and walk into a Fallen camp to see if they really worship machines”</p><p>“And he took that bet?”</p><p>“Yes! I told him I would give him my current Sniperrifle if he did it”</p><p>“You know he's just gonna wait until you have a very fancy Sniperrifle and then do it, right?”</p><p>Drei grins and chuckles before he answers: “Oh I know. This is why I am looking very much forward to this”</p><p>“You're such a devious little Warlock. But that is why I love you”, Levi leans over to him and gently kisses Drei, who blushes and returns the kiss, muttering back: “Love you too...”</p><p>It still felt a bit foreign to him to say those three words again, but he wouldn't trade this for anything in the world.</p>
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